Cargo railway service to Biratnagar comes into operation

A cargo rail service from Bathanaha of India to Budhnaga of Biratnagar-18- has come into operation today.

The well-decorated cargo rail arrived in Biratnagar from Bathanaha of bordering Indian district Katihar carrying raw materials of different industries.

The rail departed from Bathanaha after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi jointly inaugurated the rail service in New Delhi. It arrived at Nepal Custom Yard in Biratnagar after eight hours.

PM Prachanda, who is on an official India visit and Indian PM Modi inaugurated the service by showing a green flag.

The cargo rail service has come to operation from Bathanaha to Budhnagar, Biratnagar-based Integrated Custom Checkpoint.

Industrialists, traders and the general public welcomed the cargo rail after its arrival at Biratnagar.

Earlier, raw materials of the industries used to be transported to Bathnaha, India through rail and thereby transported to industries in Biratnagar through heavy vehicles.

With the operation of the rail service, it would be easier and cheaper for the business community to transport their raw materials after their arrival at the integrated Custom Checkpoint in Biratnagar.

Chairperson of Morang Trade Association Nabin Rijal expressed his pleasure for their long-waited aspiration coming true, adding it would also reduce raw material costs and render relief to the customers.

Locals have demanded passenger-ferrying train service in the coming days.

The construction of the rail service project was estimated to be 3.73 billion Indian rupees. The project was implemented with the financial and technical assurance of the Indian government.

The contract for the project to operate rail service from Bathanaha, India to Katahari of Maheshpur Rural Municipality, Morang was signed 12 years ago. But, the project did not make progress due to disputes in land acquisition and compensation.

Now the service has come into operation in the only eight-km railways section.