Photo: TRN A train in Janakpurdham.
By Ajay Shah, Mahottari, July 7: Construction of the remaining 18-kilometre section of the Jaynagar-Bardibas railway has picked up pace after a long-running compensation dispute was resolved.
The construction company has resumed laying railway tracks in parts of Dhanusha and Mahottari districts.
The railway is being built under bilateral cooperation between Nepal and India and is regarded as an important cross-border infrastructure project. Once completed, it is expected to make travel, trade and economic activities between the two countries easier.
According to Paribesh Parajuli, general manager of the Nepal Railway Company, the remaining work will now move ahead quickly. He said the company aims to complete the outstanding construction on schedule and start regular train services up to Bardibas within the next two years.
Parajuli said the Indian company Ircon International, which is responsible for the project, has mobilised the required workforce, equipment and technical staff to speed up construction. He added that work has restarted in areas where it had been halted because of compensation disputes. The Jaynagar-Bardibas railway is about 70 kilometres long. Regular train services have been operating on the Jaynagar-Kurtha section since 2 April 2022.
The infrastructure for operating trains on the Kurtha-Bijalpura section has also been completed. Construction of tracks, railway structures and other technical works is continuing on the remaining Bijalpura-Bardibas section.
Alongside the railway expansion, the Nepal Railway Company has also launched a campaign to protect railway land. The company said it has identified land occupied by encroachers at various locations and has started the process of clearing it.
Parajuli said railway land will be identified using old maps, official records and technical documents before any encroachment is removed. He added that the company is coordinating with local governments, district administration offices and other concerned authorities.
The Jaynagar-Bardibas broad-gauge railway is considered one of Nepal’s most important railway infrastructure projects. Once completed, it is expected to directly benefit people living in Dhanusha, Mahottari and neighbouring districts of Madhes Province. The railway is expected to make cross-border travel safer, easier and more affordable, while also improving the transport of goods between Nepal and India.
Stakeholders believe the railway will strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries and also support tourism, investment and regional development.
As construction has resumed, local people are hopeful that train services will reach Bardibas within the planned timeframe.
The Rising Nepal
