Nepal and India have reportedly finalized a survey draft for the proposed Amlekhgunj-Raxaul petroleum pipeline.
A joint team of the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) and the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) conducted the survey in three different phases.
The draft report will be submitted to NOC and IOC separately, reports Kantipur Online.
The survey has proposed a road-to-road alignment, or laying down the pipeline along the 26-km Amlekhgunj-Patliya Road and 12-km forest areas as the first option.
The second option is laying the pipeline on the 12-km forest fire-line and 25-km agricultural land opposite Simara Airport.
It will also intersect some sections of the road too without causing too much damage to the existing forest cover.
Under the third option, the pipeline will pass through the 17-km railway track in the forest areas, 20-km agricultural land and 3-km road. Nepal has to acquire a 1.8km patch in the Indian territory, of which 1km lies along a railway track and the rest consists of agriculture fields.
New Delhi has agreed in principle to build the project, worth around Rs 9 billion, in grant.
Of the total cost, pipeline construction and land acquisition costs are estimated at Rs 4 billion. Rest of the funds will be used for other works, including capacity up gradation of NOC’s Amlekhgunj depot, its automation, and construction of a pumping station.
—-ANI