Overview
- India and Nepal held the 10th Project Steering Committee and 8th Joint Working Group in Kathmandu on June 11–12 to review progress on cross‑border rail projects and agree continued close engagement.
- Officials reported the Final Location Survey for the proposed 136 km Raxaul–Kathmandu line is complete and a Detailed Project Report has been prepared, with stakeholder consultations and agency approvals still required before sanctioning.
- The two governments are reviewing Standard Operating Procedures for passenger services on the Janakpur–Ayodhya route so trains can run with defined operating, customs and safety arrangements.
- Nepal assured facilitation for work to start on remaining sections of the India‑funded Jaynagar–Bijalpura–Bardibas and Jogbani–Biratnagar lines, while a November 2025 amendment to the Transit Protocol already allows rail freight between Jogbani and Biratnagar.
- These talks build on a multi‑year programme that began in 2018 and aims to link Kathmandu and Terai districts to Indian ports, a move that could cut transport times for pilgrims, traders and bulk cargo and that still depends on technical fixes, customs yard arrangements and formal clearances.