Kathmandu, September 26
Nepali officials have said they will carry out an onsite feasibility study from November in a bid to open waterways in key rivers of the country.
The decision was made after a team visited various places in neighbouring India to study the operation of ships in the rivers there.
Joint Secretary at the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, Madhav Belbase, who led Nepali officials study visit to India, says, “An Indian team will come to Nepal and we will carry out the study jointly.”
The team had visited India upon an invitation of New Delhi officials. Before that trip, some Indian officials had come to Kathmandu to discuss possible cooperation on waterways.
Belbase hopes Nepal’s first ship will come into operation by the end of 2019. So far, Narayani River has been found most practical to launch the service.
Following an instruction from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, the government had formed a committee under the leadership of Belbase to make preparations for the introduction of water transport system in Nepal.
