September 20: Train service takes at least a month and a half to come in regular operation.

September 20:  The train that arrived in Janakpur on September 18 for trial has been returned back to India due to lack of necessary preparations for regular operation here in Nepal.

Despite the government's announcement to operate the train as early as possible, the train has been sent back to India due to lack of preparation by the authorities of the Railways Department. The authorities are unable to complete the necessary preparation even after a year and a half since the project was initiated.

Meanwhile, Nepal Railway Company has informed that it will take them at least a month and a half to initiate regular operation of the train.

Although the train was tested along the 34-kilometer-long section of Janakpur-Jaynagar on Friday (September 20), the inability of the concerned authorities to have necessary manpower compelled the train to return back to India for security reasons.

Nepal Railway Company has not recruited the necessary technical and administrative staff for the operation of the railway. Likewise, the process of bringing railway engineers from India has not been completed by the railway authority of Nepal.

Nepal Railway Company Limited issued notice on September 13 to appoint 139 employees. The company has called for applications for contract services within 15 days. Government authorities estimate that they will need at least one and a half to two months to complete the recruitment process.

Guru Bhattarai, general manager of the company, informed that the decision about bringing the railway engineers from India will be taken in the coming week.

He further informed that if the train is not operated for a long time, the parts may deteriorate.