Kathmandu, November 15
Indian Railways has approved a weekly train service connecting Janakpurdham in Nepal with Ayodhya in India, linking two important religious sites associated with the Ramayana.
Janakpurdham is traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Sita, while Ayodhya is considered the birthplace of Lord Ram.
According to a statement issued by India’s Ministry of Railways on Saturday, the train will pass through several cities in the Indian states of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
The train will make commercial stops for passengers to board and disembark at Jayanagar, Madhubani, Siso, Sitamarhi, Raxaul, Narkatiaganj, Gorakhpur, Basti and Mankapur.
The service will operate once a week, with trains departing from Janakpurdham every Saturday and Ayodhya Cantt every Monday, according to the ministry.
The new service is expected to make travel easier for religious tourists and other passengers between the two countries.
The Indian Railways said the service would not only expand passenger connectivity between Nepal and India but also promote religious tourism, economic activities and strengthen bilateral ties.
