HP gets Rs. 350cr for rail project

The Union Railway Ministry has recently sanctioned Rs. 350.33 crore as the first installment to launch ground work for the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri broad gauge railway link in Himachal Pradesh. The mega project involved an investment of Rs. 10,047 crore of which 75 per cent is to be borne by the centre and the remaining cost by the state government.

Official sources in the state government revealed that the Centre has signaled the state to start ground work on the 20 km stretch covering 24 border villages in Ropar and Bilaspur districts of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The hill state has decided to make Rs. 261.75 crore budgetary provision for the project in the current financial year.

In addition to this, the hill state has also demanded conversion of the Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail track to broad gauge and extending the same up to Mandi thereby linking the track with the upcoming Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Beri rail lines. The state has also demanded that from Mandi district the line should be extended to Leh via Kullu, Manali and Lahaul-Spiti. Besides, rail link between Chandigarh and Baddi, an emerging industrial hub of the hill state, for which the feasibility survey has recently been completed. After commissioning, the rail link is sure to give an added boost to economic activities in the region, promote tourism and reduce vehicular traffic pressure on the state roads.