India, Nepal Discuss Janakpur-Ayodhya Rail Link

India and Nepal held the 10th Project Steering Committee meeting and the 8th Joint Working Group meeting on 11-12 June 2026 in Kathmandu to review cross-border railway cooperation. The discussions covered passenger train connectivity on the Janakpur-Ayodhya section, the Final Location Survey report for the proposed Raxaul-Kathmandu broad gauge railway link, and technical support for Nepal’s East-West Railway Link.

Janakpur-Ayodhya Rail Corridor

The Janakpur-Ayodhya rail link connects Janakpur in Nepal with Ayodhya in India. Janakpur is associated with Sita, and Ayodhya is associated with Lord Ram in Hindu tradition. The route has been discussed as a passenger rail service between the two countries.

Cross-Border Railway Cooperation

The June 2026 meetings reviewed the progress of the Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar broad-gauge railway lines. These two lines are being developed with Indian grant assistance under bilateral railway cooperation.

Operational and Technical Discussions

The main agenda included Standard Operating Procedures for the commencement of passenger train services on the Janakpur-Ayodhya section. The Indian delegation included Rohit Rathish, Joint Secretary (DPA-III), Ministry of External Affairs, and Pradeep Ojha, Executive Director (Traffic Transportation-Freight), Ministry of Railways. Nepal’s side was led by Sushil Babu Dhakal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Project Steering Committee and Joint Working Group are institutional mechanisms used in India-Nepal railway cooperation.
• The Raxaul-Kathmandu broad gauge railway link is a proposed cross-border rail project between India and Nepal.
• The Jaynagar-Bijalpura-Bardibas and Jogbani-Biratnagar rail lines are broad-gauge projects linked to Indian grant assistance.
• Northern Railway proposed a weekly special train numbered 03219/03220 between Ayodhya and Janakpur in 2024.

Earlier Developments

In September 2024, Nepal’s Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Devendra Dahal, said that the process for operating the Janakpur-Ayodhya railway service was in its final stage. In July 2024, officials from India and Nepal discussed operational details for a Janakpurdham-Ayodhya railway service, including a scheduled service proposal.

Exam-Relevant Context

Passenger rail links between India and Nepal are part of bilateral connectivity projects under railway and transport cooperation. The Janakpur-Ayodhya route has been discussed as a service linked to religious travel between the two places.