Kathmandu, Nov 5 (IANS) As Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala remained busy in an emergency cabinet meeting Monday, a day after averting a clash with Maoists in parliament, workers supported by the guerrillas indefinitely shut down Nepal’s only railway service.
The narrow gauge rail service connecting Janakpur town in Dhanusha district in southern Nepal with Indian frontier town Jaynagar is the sole railway service in Nepal.
Nepal has asked India for assistance to convert the track into broad gauge and extend it further from Janakpur to Bardibas in Mahottari district.
Indian government enterprise RITES has completed the survey for the construction of the proposed railway.
Last week, railway workers supported by the Maoists had warned railway authorities that they would stop services from Monday if their demands were not met.
The demands include giving permanent employment to workers in service for 15 years.
After talks with the management failed, workers went on strike, disrupting services.
The rail service has been flagging due to government negligence. From three daily trains daily, it has been currently reduced to only one.
With Jaynagar recently being connected to Kolkata, if the Janakpur rail track is upgraded and the service improved, it would benefit thousands of Indians and Nepalis.