Railway More Feasible than Fast -Track Road : Experts

THT Online

Kathmandu, September 17

Construction of electric railway has been identified more feasible than the construction of the projected fast-track road to link Kathmandu with the Tarai.The government has already initiated the process to construct a four-lane fast track road linking Kathmandu with Birgunj.

However, experts have said it (fast track road) would not help the country to get rid of energy dependency and environmental pollution, besides being highly expensive. Clean Energy Nepal, Clean Air Network Nepal, Nepal Tourism Board and Small Hydropower Promotion Project of GTZ organized an interaction program at Kathmandu on sep 16, 2008 to discuss on feasibility and prospect for electric railways in Nepal.

In contrary, construction of an electric railway would be lot cheaper, environmentally friendly and would decrease the use of fossil fuel and dependency on other countries for fuel.
Birendra Keshari Pokharel, former chief engineer, Department of Roads, said that for sustainable development, electric railway would be a very good option to get rid of the prevailing energy crisis, as it would help to harness the hydropower potential of the country and achieve self sufficiency in energy.

Total length of both the fast-track road and the proposed railway line is approximately 137 km, but the fast track road would be four-lane and the railway would consist only two tracks, said Pokharel. The estimated cost for the road is Rs 6,400 crore excluding the costs of vehicles, workshops, warehouses, stations, and garages, according to Pokharel. But the construction of the railway would cost only around Rs 1,846 crore including the expenses for stations, godowns, carriages and so on.

Pokharel said the road would become insufficient after 30 years and involve very high maintenance costs, but the railway would last for nearly 100 years with maintenance cost half of the roadway.

It would take 2 hours 45 minutes to reach Birgunj via the road, but would take only 1 hour 45 minutes to cover the distance via the railway, Pokharel said. He added the railway would have additional comforts and safety. "The railway would facilitate trade and economy better than the road."

When petroleum crisis has been looming large, transportation policy should not encourage the use of fossil fuel, said Ratna Sansar Shrestha, a water resource analyst.

Every month around 10,000 kilolittres of fuel is used by vehicles moving from Kathmandu to Birgunj and vice-versa. "If electric train is operated on the route, we would be able to save 120,000 kl of fuel every year, Shrestha said.

It is high time we thought of preventing environmental deterioration due to fossil fuel-operated vehicles, said Bhusan Tuladhar, executive director, Environment and Public Health Organisation.

He said every day over 3,500 vehicles ply on Kathmandu-Hetauda- Birgunj route and almost 65 per cent of them are diesel-run trucks and buses that emit carcinogenic and hazardous gases.
"If electric railway comes into operation, it would reduce five to 29 million tonnes of carbon emission in over 21 years that would help us earn dollars through carbon trade," Tuladhar added. He said the railway could replace 50 per cent of the existing vehicles and reduce the rise in number of vehicles by six per cent.

Clearing Air In Nepal Through Promotion of Electric Vehicles

The transport and industry sectors of Nepal principally rely on fossil fuel for meeting energy demand. The usage of fossil fuel has various environmental and economic implications- contributes to the net CO2 emissions in Nepal, pollutes ambient air quality, billion of rupees lost to the nation on importing fossil fuel and rising energy insecurity for the country.

In this connection, the promotion and use of electric vehicles (EVs) appears as a convincing option to reduce transport sector emissions and dependency on imported fossil fuel because of obvious reasons - EVs utilizes locally produced clean and renewable hydropower and it’s totally emission free, environment friendly technology.

The government and other relevant stakeholders such as I/NGOs, donors and private sector have taken some positive steps to boost EVs sector in Nepal. However, more actions are needed if we are really committed to promote sustainable transport system in the country.

Electric vehicles are one of the most suitable means of transportation for Nepal. With a little bit of government support the EV industry can flourish and become a model for clean urban and rural transportation. There are already good government policies but it needs to be translated into real actions. We urge the government to take the following steps to promote EVs in Nepal:

Recommended medium/long policy guidance to reduce dependence on fossil fuel in the Transport sector
· Revive and Operate the existing trolley bus system in partnership with the private sector;
· Construct the necessary infrastructure to expand the trolley bus system around Ring Road and other parts of country;
· Focus on electric based transport system such as electric train, ropeway, trolley bus;
· Support research and development in the field of EVs to make them more competitive and expand niche markets.

Recommended Immediate Changes in the policy
· Reduce night time tariff on electricity for EVs;
· Provide special routes to EVs in Kathmandu Valley and encourage local government to introduce EVs as means of city public transport system;
· Government should allow to convert old gasoline vehicles into electric system and for this purpose devise standards and guidelines;
· Ease the procedures of registration for two wheeler electric cycle and e-bike;

Recommended Changes in the upcoming Budget
· Zero excise duty, Zero Vat on retail price and 10 percent import duty for imported EVs (two, three, four wheelers) for private use;
· Zero excise duty, Zero Vat on retail price and 5 percent import duty for imported EVs (two, three, four wheelers) for public use;
· Zero excise duty on locally manufactured EVs (two, three, four wheelers);
· Currently, the local EVs manufactures are provided with custom duty and other tax exemption on production of three wheelers but these facilities are not applicable for production of four wheelers. The government should provide similar tax exemption to four wheelers as well.
· Four wheeler electric vehicles should not be required to pay annual vehicle tax.