New Delhi: A modification to the Letter of Exchange (LoE) for the India-Nepal Rail Services Agreement (RSA), 2004, was signed between India and Nepal on Friday in a virtual ceremony in which they exchanged Notes Verbales and the signed copies of the LoE.
From the Indian side, Sanjay Kumar Mohanty, Member (Operations and Business Development), Ministry of Railways, was present along with Vinay Mohan Kwatra, Ambassador of India to Nepal, Nilamber Acharya, Joint Secretary (North), and Anurag Srivastava, Ministry of External Affairs. Nepal was represented by Dinesh Bhattarai, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce, Industry and supplies, and Tirtha Raj Wagle, Joint Secretary (South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, officials said.
This agreement will allow market forces to emerge in Nepal’s rail freight segment, increasing efficiency, and cost-competitiveness, and benefit Nepalese businesses, carriers, and consumers.
All authorized cargo train operators, including public and private container train operators, automobile freight train operators, special freight train operators, and any other operator authorized by Indian Railways (IR), will be able to use for transportation Nepalese container and freight bilaterally between India and Nepal or from Indian ports internationally.
According to IR rules, the Nepalese railway wagons would be authorized to transport Nepal-bound freight (inbound and outbound on the Kolkata/Haldia to Biratnagar/Birgunj lines) across the network.
The LoE also modifies various other areas of the India-Nepal RSA to reflect the most recent operational and infrastructure state of Indian and Nepalese railways.
(Venkatesh Iyer)
