Nepal-India railway service agreement revision in offing

24th-Jan-2012
KATHMANDU: Nepal has proposed the last week of February for the review of Railway Service Agreement with India.

“We have proposed last week of February for the review of railway service agreement with India,” joint secretary at the Ministry of Commerce and Supplies Naindra Prasad Upadhyaya said, adding that they have a series of programmes for this year, which has delayed the review meeting till February end.

According to the railway service agreement between Nepal and India, it should have been reviewed every five years. But Nepal-India railway service agreement done in May 2004 failed to be reviewed in 2009 due to various circumstances.

“This week the ministry is preparing for informal meetings with the representatives of our counterpart to finalise a final date for the railway service agreement,” Upadhyaya added.

The railway service agreement revision will be beneficial to build railway link of Birgunj dry port with Bangladesh through Rohanpur – Singhdabad route. During the Nepal and India Inter-governmental committee secretarial level meeting in New Delhi, both the countries agreed to develop and resolve the problems and issues at the Kolkata port.

Apart from railway service agreement, the ministry is also planning for South Asian Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) ministerial meeting in the third week of February and Trade and Investment Framework Agreement (TIFA) second joint council meeting with the US in March.

Himal