TRAIN TO  JANAKPUR  - A Photo Essay

                                                  - Dr. Subhendu Ranjan Raj













A  53 km 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge line from Jaynagar in India to Bijalpura in Nepal is  only one of two lines existing in Nepal. 

This  line is composed of two sections: 32 km between Jaynagar and Janakpur and 21 km from Janakpur to Bijalpura. The Janakpur line is used largely for passengers and the Sirsiya (Birganj) line only for cargo freight.

     

The train , only one of its kind in  mountainous  Nepal  is extremely popular amongst the people of both Nepal and India. Largely because it is a lifeline for many farmers, local denizens, traders and tourists who have to commute between two countries.

How popular is the small gauge train can be seen from the visuals. It is always overpacked, with just about people all over - inside bursting at the seems, outside hanging around,

sitting on top of it ......... luggage stacked inside ,   hanging cycles outside . It seems the train carries across  a city on the move .


              Jaynagar , the starting point of the train is on the India - Nepal border on the Indian side.Jaynagar is one of the most important towns in Darbhanga-Madhubani region. Historically, this has been a regional hub of economic activities, in large parts driven by the proximity to Nepal. The area both on the Indian side and in Nepal has little economic activity , largely sustained by trading of essential supplies , consumer items , smuggling . In Jainagar 80 to 85% business of overall business is export business of cloth, footwear, chemicals, tobacco and medicine to Nepal. Jainagar's importance today is as a supply source to most of Nepal.

             In Nepal because of traditional shortage of largescale employment generation abd  economic activity , a lot of people are dependant on petty economic trade  for livelihood, This train is a lifeline for such activities.


         

       Tourists also use this train. Actually the train was started for them to help them to visit Janakpur. Janakpur is the birthplace of Sita and today it is a much frequented place for lakhs of  Hindus ,  especially in the holy month of Dasshera.

               The ramshackle conditiion of the train is a metaphor for the crumbling state of employment in the Nepali hinterland, All able bodied men of Nepal seek their way out  to the Middle east, India etc in search for employment. 

               The train is in a pitiable condition with frequent mechanical failures , breakdowns and derailments.  Yet Nepal  Rail is not bothered , they have not added any coaches nor bothered to  tell people  that they would oneday close this extremely popular train, 

The train to Janakpur , despite hue and cry by the publicwas finally closed in 2015 by Nepal Rail - and with it the thousands of common folks lost their means of livelhoods and hearths of  innumerable people were cloased,.  Like  the railway line which lies in disuse their futures are now twisted,

            The official reason given for the closure of the line was that the line was uneconomic and unviable. Now an alternate proposal has been floated that a broad gaouge line will be laid between the two stations.

               In the meanwhile , the twisted lines are testimony that  Nepali people's fate is similarly going haywire. They are  waiting !