By Manjima Dhakal

Chitwan, Jan. 17: Four years after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s announcement to operate ship in inland waterways, the first ship is close to operation in Narayani River in Chitwan.
People who made fun of PM’s statement now have no bound of happiness witnessing the ship sailing on the water.
Maya Nepali, 40, a shop-owner at the ship construction site at Kavreghat, Bharatpur - 16, said, "I am surprised to see a ship running in the river as I always thought that it could sail in the sea.”
Trial operation of the ship has failed the assumption of many who thought it was impossible to operate the service in the rivers in the country.
The ship is being made by Rhino Water Entertainment Pvt. Ltd with the target to bring it into operation by mid-February.
The prospects of operating ship service in the river has sent the price of land in the locality up, Ramesh Shrestha, a local, said.
A year ago, price of one kattha land was around Rs. 2.5 million and now it has reached around Rs. 6 million.
Thaneshwor Kandel, Director of the company, said that they had planned to operate the cruise from last Dashain, but it was delayed as they decided to change the model of the ship as per the international standards.
“Earlier, we had just planned to put chairs on the cruise for passengers. Now, the cruise will have open space, VIP room, bar, stage for performance, kitchen and toilets" he stated.
According to Kandel, following the trial operation, we are working for interior design which will complete by next month.
According to the operator, the estimated cost of the cruise is Rs. 15 million.
The first cruise of Nepal will sail from Kavreghat in the north to Golaghat in the west. It will cover 34 kilometres in about three hours.
After the operation of the ship, the company is planning to build another ship, larger than it, if the current ship produces good results.
Ram Chandra Kandel, managing director of the company, claimed that around 1,000 persons would get employment in the district directly and indirectly after the cruise comes into operation. He said at least around 200 tourists would spend at least one night in the district after the cruise comes into operation.
Kandel is thankful to the government for including the project in the National Pride Project and the three-tier governments had allocated Rs. 10 million for the construction of the dam at Kavreghat.
The company has taken operation permission from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.
Ballav Bista, spokesperson at the Nepal Ship Office, said that the cruise could not be registered because the amendment to the Ship Registration Act, 2027 was at the final stage according to international treaties.
The final draft of the act will be submitted to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport on Thursday for approval from the parliament, he said.
“After the bill is becomes a law, the country's own ships will begin to sail with Nepali flag because the office will give permission to private companies to operate more cruises,” Bista said.
According to him, the ships will also contribute to the import and export of trade of the country.