Indo-Nepal rail link to be active by 2004

On November 7th, 2003, India and Nepal agreed to run trains on a 5.3-km (3.3-mile) track between Sirsiya, a dry port in Nepal and the Indian town of Raxaul, from where trains can travel to Kolkata. The $10 million dry port was built with the help of World Bank three years ago at Sirsiya, near the business hub of Birjung, close to the border with India.

The rough estimation by Nepal's commerce ministry states that the trains will complete the 800-km (500-mile) journey in 36 hours against six days by road and reduce transport costs by $16.2 million a year. Apparently the agreement will not only save time but also greatly reduce transit problems and boost the trade in Nepal.

The first train would roll into Nepal by March 2004 after a private India-Nepal joint venture company takes over the management of the dry port, Purushottam Ojha, joint secretary in Nepal's commerce ministry, said.

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