JANAKPURDHAM: The construction of Kurtha-Bijalpura section of the Jayanagar-Bardiwas railway line is nearing completion.
According to the Department of Railways, the Indian side has written to Nepali officials for the handover of the section to Nepal. “The section will be handed over to Nepal very soon,” Aman Chitrakar, the spokesperson for the department, told Himal Press.
The Indian side has notified Nepali officials that they would complete the remaining few works on the section after the handover.
Currently, Nepal Railways is operating two trains on the Jayanagar-Kurtha section twice. After the transfer of the section, trains will be able to run all the way to Bijalpura in Mahottari. “But, we will need additional manpower to extend the service,” added Chitrakar.
The main infrastructural work of the railway being built with Indian grant support has been completed. After the handover of this section, the Indian side will be responsible for the extension of railway service to Bardibas of Mahottari.
According to the department, land acquisition will have to be completed in some places for the Bijalpura-Bardibas section. “But since we have already required most of the land, construction work can be started immediately,” he added.
The Indian government is providing both technical and financial assistance for the construction of this railway line.
The railway line extending to Bardibas will meet the East-West Railway line that the government is planning to build.
During the India visit of former President Ram Baran Yadav in 2010, Nepal and India agreed to build railway lines to connect bordering districts of the two countries at five places. Construction, however, is underway at only two places – Jayanagar-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar.
Works on Jalpaigudi-Kakarbhiitta, Nautanuwa-Bhairahawa and Rupaidia-Nepalganj have not begun yet.
The Kurtha-Bijalpura is 17 km long. Once the new section becomes operable, the total length of the cross-border railway line will become 52 km. The total length till Bardibas is 70 km.
