The construction began after the Nepali government handed over control of 14 Bighas of land to India to lay down the track. The government had expropriated the land recently for expansion of railway service inside the country.[break]
"The laying down of railway track near the No Man´s Land, which will enter Nepal, has started," said Surya Prasad Paudel of Biratnagar Railway and Metro Development Project. "We hope to complete the project within two years."
The Indian Railway Construction Private Limited had awarded the contract to lay down the track to Tatiya and Tatiya Construction Company. Of the 18.1 kilometer track, 13.1 km will be constructed in Nepal and the remaining 5 km will be in the Indian territory. The estimated cost of the project is IRS 2.38 billion.
Most of the people whose land was expropriated for the project have already been compensated. “More than 90 percent of the locals have already received compensation,” said Paudel.
According to Paudel, a railway platform, passenger waiting room and an office will also be built in Katahari VDC-3.
The formal agreement between the two countries includes the building of five different railway lines in the bordering regions. However, three other projects - Birgunj-Pataliya, New Jalpaiguri-Kakavitta, and Butwal-Sunauli has not started due to insufficient budget.
“It will be very helpful to extend the east-west railway track in future after we complete this project,” said Paudel.
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