Process for operation of Janakpur-Ayodhya railway service in final stage: Transport Minister

MAHENDRANAGAR (DHANUSHA), SEPTEMBER 26:Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Devendra Dahal, announced that the Janakpur-Ayodhya railway service is in its final stage of preparation and will commence operations soon.

During a press conference held at the Janakpurdham railway station today, he stated that the Government of Nepal is implementing various plans to upgrade the Nepal Railway Service, making it more efficient and profitable.

“The process for setting up washing centers at various locations along the Nepal Railway is underway. These centers are expected to reduce operational losses to some extent. We are also preparing to launch cargo railway services in the coming days,” he added.

The Minister visited Janakpurdham to inspect completed and ongoing road and railway projects. Describing the Nepal Railway as a "dream project," he expressed the government’s commitment to extending the railway service up to Bardibas in the Mahottari district. Currently, the railway service operates from Jayanagar to Janakpur and Bijalpura in Mahottari.

He noted that the delay in extending the service to Bardibas is due to disputes over compensation for land acquired for the project.

Niranjan Jha, General Manager of the Railway Company, shared that the recruitment of permanent staff is underway to address the shortage of employees and to expand the station's capacity and infrastructure. He confirmed that preparations for operating the railway service from Janakpurdham to Ayodhya, India, have reached the final stage.

Minister Dahal conducted an onsite inspection and monitoring of the Railway Service in Janakpurdham to assess the Company’s activities and progress. During the inspection, he gathered information from General Manager Jha and other officials, discussing railway development and construction. He also boarded a train compartment at the Janakpurdham station and took a ride up to Jayanagar, India.

The Nepal Railway Company reported transactions worth over Rs 77.5 million in the fiscal year 2023/24, with more than 1.5 million passengers using the service last year. Out of these, 900,000 were Nepali passengers, and over 600,000 were Indian passengers. Currently, the railway operates from Jayanagar, an Indian border town, to Bhangaha in Mahottari via Janakpur, the capital of Madhes Province.

Initially, the train service covered 35 kilometers from Kurtha to Jayanagar, India, starting from April 3, 2022. It was later extended by an additional 17 kilometers up to Bhangaha in Mahottari on July 15, 2024. Passenger numbers have been growing steadily since the service began, with over 3,000 passengers traveling daily on the Nepal Railway Service.

The railway is currently operated with financial and technical assistance from the Government of India. Indian technical employees continue to work for the railway service, with 20 staff members currently employed. Nepal Railway pays Rs 7 million monthly to an Indian company for employee salaries, compartment cleaning, and railway maintenance.

Presently, the Indian side is handling the technical work for extending the railway from Kurtha to Bardibas. The Nepal Railway Company has pledged to complete the operation of this 17-kilometre section within three years. Once construction is completed, the railway service will cover a total of 69 kilometres.

In 2010, the Government of Nepal and the Government of India signed an agreement to operate the railway service from Jayanagar to Bhangaha and Bardibas. As per the agreement, the Nepal government will provide the land, while the Indian government will handle all construction work, including the track, station buildings, halts, bridges, and essential infrastructure such as drinking water and electricity.

Earlier today, at a press meet organized by Press Chautari Mahottari in Lalgadh, Minister Dahal stated that the federal government has devised the necessary plans and is in the process of implementing them to build a “prosperous Madhes Province.” He arrived in the region to review projects under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport in the Mahottari and Dhanusha districts.