Passenger train in Janakpur, freight in Biratnagar by December end

Setopati

2018-11-05 15:04:22

A train arrived in Janakpur, the temporary capital of Province 2, from Jayanagar, India in the third week of October. It had carried track ballast (stones) to prepare the trackbed to lay the railway track on. Another train arrived in the temporary capital of Province 1 Biratnagar two weeks later on Sunday. An engine arrived at the Nepal customs yard in Buddhanagar, Biratnagar at the Nepal-India border from Bathnaha, Bihar with fluttering Nepali and Indian flags. The Department of Railways said regular train service will resume at both these border points by December end. "A freight train will operate to Biratnagar and we will rent a passenger train from an Indian company for Janakpur," Director General at the department Balaram Mishra told Setopati. "We will decide which company to rent from in a few days." He revealed that a set of trains will be rented at first, and more will be added later. "We can also buy trains but we don't have skilled human resources for that now. People to operate the trains will come from the company," Mishra revealed. "We will buy trains once our human resources are ready." The only railway of Nepal, the 51-kilometer Janakpur-Jayanagr railway that started 81 years ago, is not in operation for the past five years. Narrow-gauge trains used to operate on this route earlier but broad-gauge tracks have been laid there now. Works are on to extend this railway till Bardibas of Mahottari. Mishra said it will take another one and half years to operate passenger trains to Biratnagar. The trains can only come up to Buddhanagar now in lack of a bridge over Singhiya river. "The Supreme Court (SC) has delivered a verdict on the case about compensation. Construction of bridge will start now and finish in around one and half years. The freight trains will arrive till Buddhanagar until then," he elaborated. Trains will be operated in the two border points with Indian assistance as per the understanding between Nepal and India in 2010 for cross-border railways. The understanding mentions operation of trains also through Kakarbhitta, Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj border points. But there has been no progress at these border points.

Published Date: 2018-11-05 15:04:22

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