On Tuesday Indian Foreign Secretary Vinay Mohan Kwatra met Nepal Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Narayan Kaji Shrestha in Kathmandu and the two leaders discussed railways, treaties and agreements between the two countries, and the ongoing projects by Indian companies in Nepal.

Kwatra arrived in Kathmandu on Monday for a two-day official visit to hold talks with the country’s top leaders on the entire range of multifaceted cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, including connectivity, trade and transit, power sector cooperation, agriculture, education, culture, health sector, and people to people relations, among others. Kwatra was invited by his Nepali counterpart Bharat Raj Paudyal.

Kwatra on Tuesday called on Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Narayankaji Shrestha at the Ministry’s office at Singhdurbar, Kathmandu.

During his meeting with Kwatra, Shrestha put forth issues concerning Nepal’s railway line, economic prosperity, Indian investments in Nepal and past agreements and understandings between countries.

According to ministry sources, Kwatra also raised the issue of renewal of the Jayanagar-Kurtha railway being operated by an Indian company as its tenure is about to terminate.

India’s Konkan Railways Corporation Limited (KRCL) has been operating the country’s sole railway service.

The railway came into operation in April 2022 when it was jointly flagged off by then-Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was considered a milestone in strengthening cross-border connectivity between Nepal and India.

The two leaders also talked about the proposed cross-border Kathmandu-Raxaul railway. The proposed broad-gauge line will give Kathmandu a direct connection with the Indian railway network, enabling uninterrupted train travel to all Indian cities.

The train link to Raxaul, which will be between 136 and 198 kilometres long, is seen as New Delhi’s attempt to counter Chinese influence in Nepal with its northern neighbour also working on a detailed project report (DPR) for the proposed Kathmandu-Kerung Cross-Border Railway.

The foreign secretary also expressed his concern to Deputy Prime Minister Shrestha on matters pertaining to the speedy construction of the access road to the 900-megawatt Arun III Hydroelectric Power Plant in the Tumlingtar area in eastern Nepal.

The project is expected to bring USD 1.5 billion in foreign direct investment into Nepal and create jobs for thousands of people.

In 2018, Prime Minister Modi and his then Nepalese counterpart K P Sharma Oli laid the foundation stone for the Hydroelectric Power Plant. 

Image source: PTI