Kathmandu, Oct 10: The government of Nepal has approved a land swap agreement with the Indian Railway Development Corporation Limited (IRDC) to support the construction of Kolkata Metro’s Purple Line, marking a milestone in bilateral cooperation.
Nepal’s Minister for Communication and Information Technology and government spokesperson, Jagadish Kharel, announced on Friday that the Cabinet had approved the exchange of 409.53 square metres of land owned by the Consulate General of Nepal in Kolkata with 526.34 square metres owned by the IRDC.
According to Nepal’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two adjoining plots will be exchanged to allow the completion of the metro alignment, which passes through the Consulate’s property. A senior foreign ministry official said Nepal’s decision reflects goodwill and practical cooperation.
“It’s a win-win deal. The Indian side can complete an important transport project, while Nepal gains a larger piece of land nearby,” the official said. “As a building currently stands on the land being swapped, India has also agreed to build a larger and improved facility for Nepal’s Consulate.”
The agreement resolves a long-pending issue, as the Indian side had been seeking the land exchange to proceed with construction. Discussions between both governments took place earlier in July this year. Reports indicate that around 60 metres of the 450-metre ramp of the Kolkata Metro’s Purple Line will run adjacent to the Nepal Consulate premises.
The Joka–Esplanade (Purple Line) is one of Kolkata’s newest metro corridors aimed at improving connectivity between the city’s southern suburbs and its central business districts. The deal underscores growing Nepal-India cooperation in infrastructure and diplomacy, balancing mutual development needs with respect for sovereignty and neighbourly goodwill.
