NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his visiting Nepal counterpart Sher Bahadur Deuba on Saturday jointly flagged-off the inaugural run of the first broad-gauge passenger train, marking the resumption of cross-border rail services between Jayanagar (India) and Kurtha (Nepal). Regular passenger services will commence from April 3 on the newly gauge-converted 34.9 km section which is part of the 86.72 km-long Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas international rail project.
The resumption of rail services after eight years will facilitate better connectivity to the people of Jayanagar in India and Kurtha, Inerva, Khajurti, Mahinathpur, Baidehi, Pahekha Janakpur and other bordering areas of Nepal. After flagging-off the rail service through video-conferencing, PM Modi said the friendly ties between India and Nepal are unique and such an example is not seen anywhere else in the world.
“Our civilization, our culture, and the threads of our exchange have been linked since ancient times,” Modi said, adding that both India and Nepal have been together in each other’s happiness and hard times since time immemorial and would remain so in the future as well.
The PM said he and his Nepal counterpart have agreed to give priority to cross-border connectivity initiatives. “The beginning of Jaynagar-Kurtha rail service is a part of this.”
Meanwhile, railway authorities said services would further be extended up to Bijalpura (Nepal) on the section in the near future. Bijalpura is around 17 km ahead of Kurtha. To facilitate train movement, the Nepal railways has purchased two train sets at around `1 billion from the Konkan Rail Corporation Limited. The rakes of these trains were handed over to the Nepal railway last year with 2 AC coaches and other non-AC coaches.
Railway sources said this project has around 2.95 km falling in the Indian territory while the remaining length of the section — 65.75 km, falls under Nepal’s territory. According to the railway ministry, train services on Jaynagar-Kurtha will boost trade and develop the areas through which the rail passes. There are eight stations, six halts and 47 road-crossing on the newly gauge-converted Jayanagar- Kurtha rail section.