railway tracks
A view of the India-Nepal railway track. Image credit - The Kathmandu Post - Ekantipur

Union Minister of Railways and Coal, Piyush Goel has expressed his happiness over the ongoing works of laying railway tracks between Janakpur in Nepal and Jay Nagar in Bihar and hoped that the connectivity between the two countries will not only improve trade and commerce but also enhance bilateral ties between the two neighbouring countries.

“The Himalayan nation gets its first modern train tracks, as the new Rail Line connecting the 34-km stretch between Janakpur in Nepal to Bihar’s Jay Nagar is raising hopes for more businesses along the route & deepening bilateral ties,” Goyal tweeted on Monday.

The tracks which are being laid from Jay Nagar to Janakpur will be the first of its kind modern railway in Nepal.

The 34 km-long stretch of rail connectivity between Janakpur in southeastern Nepal and Jay Nagar in Bihar are raising hopes for more business and pilgrimages.

In July this year, officials from India and Nepal reviewed the progress made in the two ongoing cross-border rail link projects at the third meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG).

The review meeting appreciated the progress made in the Jayanagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar rail link projects, said a statement issued by the Indian Embassy after the meeting.

The two sides held detailed discussion on requirements for operating train services on completion of the stretches from Jayanagar to Janakpur/Kurtha and Jogbani to Nepal Custom Yard, which were targeted to be completed by October this year, the statement had added.