MPPW to shortlist international firms for electric railway

With 19 international consultant firms having submitted their Expression of Interest (EoI) to carry out feasibility study for the 1200 km electric railway along the Terai, the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MPPW) is all set to shortlist the firms.

The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MPPW) had called for EoI from international consultants for the feasibility study of the Mechi-Mahakali Electric Railway Line announced in the budget this fiscal year.

The 19 firms belong to twelve different countries including China, Japan, Korea, Australia and UK, among others.

According to the MPPW, the process to shortlist six out of the total 19 consultants will complete within this week.

The ministry will ask for Request for Proposal (RFP) with technical and financial details of the project from the short-listed firms and then pick out one among them to carry out feasibility study.

The six selected firms are then required to submit their RFP within 45 days of the issuance of the call for it.

The feasibility study will prepare preliminary engineering designs for the railway, estimate the cost of tracks, bridges, overhead electric lines and a signal system among other things

The ministry has estimated that the total cost for conducting feasibility study will stand at Rs 90 million. nepalnews.com Mar 31 09