A special rail service connecting Janakpur in Nepal with Ayodhya in India underwent a test run on Thursday, as officials from both countries continued preparations for its planned joint inauguration by their prime ministers. Indian railway officials travelled to Janakpur for track testing, and the train used for the exercise consisted of two engines and seven coaches. The service is being prepared for inauguration during Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s upcoming visit to India, although no further details about the visit or the ceremony were provided.
Test run checks the Janakpur rail connection
The Thursday test run was part of preparations for the special service between Janakpur and Ayodhya. Indian railway officials arrived in Janakpur to test the track, using a train made up of two engines and seven coaches. The available details do not specify the test route, its duration, or the results of the checks. The exercise marks a practical step in preparing the cross-border service, but the train has not yet been described as operating for regular passenger journeys.
The service is being readied for a joint inauguration by the prime ministers of Nepal and India. That ceremony is expected to take place during Shah’s upcoming visit to India. The plans link the rail project to the prime ministerial visit, while the test run addresses preparations on the railway side. No date for the visit or inauguration was given in the information available about Thursday’s test.
Preparations have continued for about a month
Work on the service has been under way for the past month, with repeated monitoring and discussions between Nepali and Indian railway staff. The ongoing exchanges indicate that officials on both sides have been coordinating as preparations progress. Thursday’s track testing came within that period of activity, with Indian railway officials travelling to Janakpur to carry out the checks.
The preparations have involved more than a single test exercise. Repeated monitoring and discussions have been part of the process, according to the available reports. However, details about the specific technical issues reviewed, the agencies involved beyond railway staff, or any remaining work were not provided. It is therefore unclear what additional steps may be required before the inauguration.
Service awaits its planned inauguration
The proposed rail service is intended to link Janakpur and Ayodhya, and its inauguration is being prepared as a joint event involving the leaders of Nepal and India. Thursday’s test run and the month of monitoring and discussions form part of the lead-up to that event. The train’s two engines and seven coaches were used during the testing, but no information was provided on its passenger capacity, schedule, fares, or frequency.
Until the planned inauguration takes place, the available information points to the service as a project still in preparation. Officials have conducted track testing and continued coordination across the two countries, while the political programme is tied to Shah’s upcoming India visit. Further details about the launch date, operating arrangements, and passenger services have not been announced in the reports available. The test run is consequently a milestone in the preparations, rather than confirmation that the route has begun regular operation.
