Kathmandu, July 27: China's state-run media on Monday released photos of "exploration and survey" of the proposed railway corridor with neighbouring Nepal. The visuals showed a team of Chinese engineers inspecting the site that will be used for laying the rail line to connect the semi-autonomous region of Tibet with the Himalayan nation.

China and Nepal had entered a pact under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to develop a railway line that will stretch from Lhasa-Shigatse - in Tibet - to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. The railway line will be further extended to Lumbini, the temple town located close to the Indian border. Nepal Communist Party Accuses Indian Media of Running 'Baseless Propaganda' Against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

'Exploration, Survey and Design' Pics Shared by Chinese Media

The visuals shared by CGTN on Monday showed the area of Railway line that falls under the Chinese side of the border in Tibet. Nepal, for the past few months, has remained tight-lipped on the project. But the nation's pro-Beijing approach in the past couple of years indicate its willingness to be part of the BRI plan.

The photos shared by the state-run media outlet affirms that the railway project is on track. The release of visuals comes amid heightened tensions between China and India, as forces of both the nations are locked in a face-off at some points in eastern Ladakh sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Nepal, which was once considered as a "natural ally" of India, has drifted towards China amid the geopolitical row, allege experts. This is being credited to the ideological affiliations shared between the Communist regime in Kathmandu with their counterparts in Beijing, along with an enhanced investment into the nation by China. The Nepali Parliament recently passed a Bill to include three portions of the border that fall in India under its own political map.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 28, 2020 12:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).