Kathmandu, August 5

A joint team led by National Planning Commission and comprising Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Investment Board Nepal and concerned ministries has prepared a preliminary report on the possibility of operating monorail in Kathmandu.

According to KMC, discussions are being held on the report, which was received on July 30.

Joint Spokesperson at KMC Nama Raj Dhakal said the study report showed that operating monorail was possible in Kathmandu.

“The report also shows that investment in the project can be recovered within 10 to 12 years,” Dhakal told The Himalayan Times, adding that if construction work begins immediately, the monorail may begin service in the Valley within seven to eight years.”

“People were skeptical about the possibility of operating monorail in Kathmandu Valley, but the study has shown that it is possible within a decade,” Dhakal said.

Though the study has shown various aspects of monorail operation, KMC has not disclosed the estimated cost as projects worth more than Rs 10 billion would be overseen by Investment Board Nepal.

Earlier on July 18, a memorandum of understanding was signed between KMC and Cimex Inc for the feasibility study of skyrail in Kathmandu.

According to a press release issued by Cimex, its Chairman Prasidha B Panday had presented the pre-feasibility study report to KMC Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya.

It said the report was prepared by experts from Germany and England who conducted a four-month study.  Submission of the report was delayed by a month due to local elections, stated the release.

The study envisages 10 km skyrail from Tilganga, near Tribhuvan International Airport, to Kalanki via New Baneshwor, Shahid Gate and Teku. The skyrail will be equipped with a 10-km battery back-up to last the distance in case of power failure.

Cimex claimed that the latest version of BYD skyrail can be built at around one-fourth the cost of conventional sub-way train system and it is particularly suitable for narrow winding streets of Kathmandu. Each coach of skyrail will have the capacity of ferrying around 200 passengers. Travelling at 30 to 80 km per hour, the skyrail will be able to transport 15,000 to 30,000 passengers per hour.