The age-old cultural and religious relations between India and Nepal are going to get a new momentum. There seems to be a consensus between the two countries on the planning to connect Lord Shri Ram’s city Ayodhya and Mother Sita’s birthplace Janakpur by rail. Soon devotees may get the gift of direct passenger train services between Kathmandu, Ayodhya and Janakpur. This step will not only strengthen cross-border connectivity between the two countries, but will also make the journey of lakhs of devotees from both sides much easier.
According to information shared by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, two important meetings were held between high officials of the two countries on June 11 and 12. The discussions were part of the 10th Project Steering Committee (PSC) and 8th Joint Working Group (JWG) meetings. The main agenda of this conversation was to prepare Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to start regular passenger train services on Janakpur-Ayodhya route. Both the countries are busy finalizing the legal processes to start this route as soon as possible.
Janakpur and Ayodhya: direct union of two holy cities
Janakpur city of Nepal, considered to be the sacred birthplace of Mother Sita, is located about 220 kilometers south-east of the capital Kathmandu. At the same time, its distance from India’s Ramnagari Ayodhya is about 500 kilometers east. Presently a large number of devotees from both India and Nepal visit these two holy religious places every year. With the start of direct train service, pilgrims will be freed from the hassle of changing vehicles again and again.
Talk was also held on these projects
- Raxaul-Kathmandu Link: Both sides discussed the final location survey report of the broad gauge railway link connecting Bihar’s Raxaul to Nepal’s capital Kathmandu.
- Jaynagar-Bardibas Line: It was agreed to speed up the work on the Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas broad gauge railway line being built with the cooperation of India.
- Jogbani-Biratnagar Route: The construction work of Jogbani to Viratnagar broad gauge rail route was reviewed so that cross border trade and movement could be promoted.
