KATHMANDU: TVS Motor Company, a reputed manufacturer of two-wheelers and three-wheelers globally, has rolled out the new generation of the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V in Nepal.

Termed as Race Edition 2.0, the new Apache RTR 200 4V gets the advanced ‘Anti-Reverse Torque (A-RT) Slipper Clutch’ technology. It also sports new racing-inspired graphics, lending the motorcycle a dynamic and aggressive look. The series now boasts of a fly-screen for enhanced aerodynamics.

The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition 2.0 is the first motorcycle in its class to be equipped with the advanced ‘A-RT Slipper Clutch’, a race-derived technology which is a testimony to the racing DNA of the RTR 200 4V engine. The introduction of the Slipper Clutch also promises sharp and precise gear shifts with minimal effort. The motorcycle is powered by a 197.75cc single-cylinder motor which is mated to a five-speed gearbox.

The engine develops 20.5 PS (Carb)/21.0 PS (EFI) of power at 8500 RPM and 18.1 Nm of torque at 7000 RPM. Priced at
Rs 324,900, the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V Race Edition (Carburetor) is available at Jagadamba Motors. — HNS

Kathmandu, June 22

Though it has been almost seven months since different foreign firms expressed their interest to provide telecommunications infrastructure service in Nepal, the government has not been able to award the concerned licence to the eligible firms.

Publishing a notice in November last year, Nepal Telecommunications Authority — telecommunications sector regulator of country — had sought request for proposal from interested and eligible firms — both domestic and foreign — to provide telecommunications infrastructure service in country.

However, delay in the issuance of the telecommunication infrastructure service licence hints towards the fact that the issue is gradually losing priority of government.

Acknowledging that the entire process of bringing in telecommunication infrastructure service provider has been delayed, Min Prasad Aryal, spokesperson for NTA, said, “Firstly, the entire process of bringing in infrastructure service provider was delayed after a writ was filed a few months back at the Supreme Court against the licensing process.”

According to NTA officials, the process got further delayed with the formation of a new government and change in leadership at the Ministry of Information and Communications (MoIC).

“The new leadership at MoIC has been studying the entire process, its need and prospects,” added Aryal.

However, NTA officials stated that bringing in telecommunication infrastructure service provider is the need of the domestic telecommunication industry and eligible firms will soon be awarded the licence for it.

NTA has plans to initially issue telecommunications infrastructure service licence to two eligible firms.

The government earlier envisioned issuing such licence to promote the joint use of telecom infrastructure among telecom operators in the country. In the context of individual domestic telecom firms today developing their own telecom infrastructure to expand telecom services, injecting huge investments, once telecom companies start sharing telecom infrastructure, NTA expects telecom services to become cheaper in Nepal.

Though the telecommunication infrastructure service provider will share its infrastructure with telecom firms, it will charge a certain fee from the operators for utilising the infrastructure.

Kathmandu, June 22

Though Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has signed various agreements with China, the government has failed to seal a concrete deal on the much-hyped fuel storage pact with the northern neighbour.

Nepal and China on Thursday agreed to study the possibility of building oil storage facilities in the sites identified by Nepal with support from China. However, this agreement is just the continuation of what the two governments had agreed during the previous visit of Prime Minister Oli to China in March, 2016.

This failure of the government to ink a concrete deal on the concerned issue is certain to hit the government’s plan to expand fuel storage facilities across the country that it plans to do through Chinese assistance.

Government officials said that the inability of Nepal to identify necessary land for the development of fuel storage facilities in planned sites affected the government’s plan to seal a concrete deal on fuel storage with China.

Nepal had requested the Chinese government to develop fuel storage facility during PM Oli’s earlier visit to China. Since then, the government has only identified Khaireni of Tanahu, Battar of Nuwakot, and Panchkhal of Kavre as possible sites
for the development of fuel storage facilities.

“Not much work regarding the storage facility was done prior to the formation of new government to capitalise the plan to build fuel storage facilities as planned,” informed a government official seeking anonymity, adding that a concrete deal with China on fuel storage facilities was not possible with Nepal doing less homework on its side.

With limited resources and technical knowledge in hand, the government had sought Chinese technical and financial assistance for the construction of fuel storage facilities. Considering the increasing demand of petroleum products in the country, the government plans to develop fuel storage facilities that can cater to domestic demand for at least three months.

Meanwhile, Sushil Bhattarai, acting deputy managing director of Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC), said that Thursday’s agreement between the two governments, though not concrete, will help expedite the process of building fuel storage facilities across the country.

“A separate committee has been formed to identify areas viable for constructing fuel storage facilities across proposed sites. Once necessary land is identified, the technical committees of both the nations will sit together to decide on the following,” said Bhattarai.

Construction of fuel storage facilities by the Chinese government is also a part of NOC’s plan to enhance the petroleum storage capacity to 415,000 kilolitres from the existing 72,000 kilolitres.