Preparation Underway to Operate Community Railway in Tilottama:
Preparations are underway to operate a train at Tilottama in Rupandehi with the investment of locals. After completing the preliminary survey of the railway project, the work of preparing a detailed project report (DPR) has started. Moonstar Engineering Consultancy Pvt. Ltd., Dang has been entrusted with the construction of DPR. The DPR will be completed within the next eight months.
According to a preliminary survey, the cost of railway construction is around Rs 7 billion, said Baburam Aryal, chairman of Tilotta Public Railway Company. Chief of the municipality, Basudev Ghimire, informed that the community will invest in the construction of the tram/railway to be operated on the 52-kilometer long ring road of Tilottama Municipality. So far, 505 people have invested in shares at the rate of Rs 100,000 per person, said Dilli Narayan Pandey, director of the railway company. A total of 17 stations will be constructed for the 52 km long train. In the first phase, the train will run on a 14-kilometer road from Yogikuti to the Rohini river reservoir within two years, said Ghimire.
Mayor Ghimire said that the municipality would provide necessary assistance for the construction and operation of community railways. Bhola Sharma, who is also the former general manager of Nepal Railway Company Janakpur, said that the railway service will be operated as per the municipality's coordination.
He claimed that there would be no obstruction and no noise on the road even if the train was operated and there would be no impact on the environment. As the tram is a tourist train, there will be no obstruction to human settlements and it can be stopped by applying brakes when there is a problem on the road.
