New Delhi, January 18:

A meeting of senior government officials of Nepal and India here has today approved the detailed project report on the modern integrated check posts to be built in Birgunj, Nepal and Raxaul, India. The DPR was prepared by Indian company Rice.

“Now the engineering study will be undertaken,” under-secretary at the Foreign Ministry Pradyumna Shah told this daily. The Nepali delegation was led by Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Physical Planning and Works Umakant Jha while the Indian side was headed by Secretary in-charge of border management division in the Union Home Ministry UN Panjiyar.

“An agreement was made to undertake the works in the next six months,” Shah quoting the minute said.

The meeting has also decided to form four different technical committees to handle technical issues that may come up after the construction of the ICP. Shah also said the meeting has agreed to build a separate lane at the ICP for carrying big machines required for huge cargo and hydel projects. The first joint ICP will be built at the Raxaul-Birgunj Customs point as a model, which will be followed at Bhairahawa, Biratnagar and Nepalgunj. The meeting has decided to call the joint-secretary level meeting of the two countries to solve the problems faced at Birgunj and Raxaul. The construction of the ICP, which will be built with Indian help, will cost IC Rs two billion and sixty crores.