Nepal builds new railway network to spur growth

Janakpur, Nepal

THREE years after its last train hit the buffers, landlocked Nepal is building a new railway network to boost its ailing economy - helped by the rivalry between its powerful neighbours, China and India.

The railway to India was a lifeline for the small southern frontier town of Janakpur, used to import everything from sweets to clothes and cosmetics and fuelling a vibrant border economy.