NewsGate Press Network

By Vineet Dikshit

The long pending and much delayed Jayanagar-Kurtha railway line between India and Nepal was finally moved into operation mode on Saturday the 2nd of April 2022.

Formally inaugurated jointly by both the prime ministers, Narendra Modi and Sher Bahadur Deuba, the 35 kms rail link is set to further cement ties between the two traditional neighbours whose cultural connections goes back to centuries.

The Nepal PM is currently on a three day state visit to India. His fifth one and each time during a different tenure as prime minister of Nepal.

While addressing a press conference, the foreign secretary Harsh Vardhan Shingla gave details of the talks two leaders had held earlier in the day.

The Foreign Secretary further said, “It is a historic day in many ways for the people of India and Nepal. The first passenger train on the first cross-border broad gauge rail link was jointly flagged-off  by the two Prime Ministers.

Both countries agreed to focus on cooperation in the hydropower sector in a major way, including extending the cooperation with neighbouring countries under the BBIN framework.

Along with rail link inauguration, a power line project was also flagged-off, the 90 km long 132 KV Solu Corridor transmission line built with Indian Line of Credit at a cost of INR 200 crore.

The two sides also witnessed launch of the RuPay Card in Nepal and witnessed the progress in construction of the 132 Health facilities in Nepal, undertaken with a US$ 50 million grant from India in post-earthquake reconstruction.

Deuba is visiting Varanasi tomorrow that is Sunday the 3rd of April.