Railway DPR in west uncertain
KATHMANDU:
Preparation of detailed project report (DPR) of western sections of the proposed Mechi-Mahakali Electrified Railways is likely to get delayed further. Department of Railways (DoR), which had earlier received direction to scrap the study, has not been able to start fresh bids legally.
About one-and-a-half months back, the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had instructed the department to cancel the ongoing DPR process for the western sector. Before the government could start work for selection of new potential consultants by inviting expression of interest (EoI), a case was filed at the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the CIAA direction as being against development.
Ananta Acharya, director general of the department, said that all the works of western sector DPR was cancelled immediately after the CIAA directive. “Since a case related in support of the previous preparation is also under consideration at the SC, we can do nothing for now,” he added. Lately, the department was doing evaluation of request for proposals received for two sections that fall under Butwal-Gaddachowki sector, which is around 420 km.
Based on a complaint, CIAA had said that the railway department had taken a long time for DPR works. About two years ago, the department had shortlisted four potential consultants, one for each of the four packages — Butwal-Lamahi, Lamahi-Kohalpur, Kohalpur-Sukhakhada and Sukhakhada-Gaddachowki of Butwal-Gaddachowki sector.
DPR is the study that includes detailed design of the railway routes, the infrastructure required alongside the track, cost estimate and bid documents for construction. The department officials admit that the planned DPR studies had been delayed due to shortage of human resources in the department and procedural delays. “However, this does not mean that the whole process was wrong,” said an official.
When the anti-graft body issued a direction to stop all homework for the study, the department was evaluating the financial proposals
for Butwal-Lamahi (115 km) and Lamahi-Kohalpur (102 km) sections.
South Korean Dohwa Engineering, ILF Consulting of Austria, Rites Limited (India), Italfeer SpA (Italy), Gauff Rail Engineering (Germany) and SENER Ingeneria y Sistemas SA (Spain) are among the firms that had applied for DPR preparation of the Butwal-Gaddachowki sector.
Rajeshwor Man Singh, superintendent engineer of the department, said that if the SC issues an interim order, there is also a possibility to give continuity to planned studies without going for fresh EoI. The proposed mega railway project connects Kakarbhitta in the east to Gaddachowki in the west. DPR of two sections falling in eastern sector of Butwal — Bardibas-Simara-Birgunj and Tamsariya-Butwal Bhairahawa — have already been completed and Simara-Tamsariya section’s study is in the final phase for submission, according to the department.
Timeline
January 2012: EoI invited for the DPR
January 2013: DPR of first section — Bardibas-Simara-Birgunj — is completed
April 2013: Four consultants short listed for each western package
May 2014: Railways department calls for RFP for Butwal-Lamahi and Lamahi-Kohalpur
August 2014: CIAA directs the government to cancel DPR procedure
Source: THT
