Kathmandu, March 29: The Janakpur-Jayanagar Railway Service is all set to roll with its official inaugural confirmed on April 2.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to jointly inaugurate the 35-kilometres railway service that stretches from Jayanagar in India to Kurtha in Dhanusha district, said the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

The inauguration will take place virtually from New Delhi, India during PM Deuba’s official visit to India taking place starting April 1.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Renu Kumari Yadav, however, will physically attend an event to be organized in Janakpur on the inaugural day along with the high-ranking officials of the Department of Railways and other concerned agencies, said Department’s director-general Deepak Kumar Bhattarai.

President Bidya Devi Bhandari on March 22 reissued the Railway Ordinance-2078 BS, paving the path for the official operation of the railway service. Two sets of trains were purchased from the Indian Railway Corporation at the cost of Rs 846.5 million on September 18, 2020 for the railway service.

The government of Nepal has already spent over Rs 1 billion (including taxes) for the railway service that remained non-operational for nearly 17 months.

The fare from Jayanagar to Kurtha has been fixed at Rs 70 for ordinary seats and Rs 300 for AC seats. The Railway Ordinance-2078 BS has ensured compensation coverage upto Rs 700,000 for passengers in case of loss of life in train accident.

A test operation of the railway was successfully conducted in the first week of February this year. (RSS)