The railways ministry has sanctioned Rs 350.33 crore as the first installment towards initiation of ground work for the 20-km patch of Bhanupalli-Bilaspur railway line in Himachal Pradesh.
Sources in the Himachal Pradesh government told FE on Monday that a communication in this connection has been received by the state government from the ministry. Work on this railway line to cover 10 villages in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh and 14 others in Ropar district of Punjab is expected to commence soon.
The state government has agreed to chip in 25% of the cost of the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri broad gauge railway line project. The remaining 75% of the cost is to be borne by the Centre. In fact, the Himachal Pradesh government is making a budgetary provision of Rs 261.75 crore for the project in the current financial year itself. The total estimated cost of the project would be about Rs 1,047 crore.
The rail link is sure to boost economic activity in the region and promote tourism, besides reducing vehicular traffic on roads.
The communication from the Centre, agreeing to the proposal sent by the state government, is the outcome of a series of meetings chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal had with railways ministry, said official sources. In fact, the Himachal Pradesh government has also requested the Centre to approve expansion of rail network in the hill state right till the China border. Chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal is on record saying that Himachal Pradesh has been meted out step-motherly treatment when it comes to rail line expansion since independence.
Himachal also wants conversion of the Pathankot-Jogindernagar rail track to broad gauge and extending it to Mandi to join the Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Beri line. It wants that from Mandi the line should be extended to Leh via Kullu, Manali and Lahaul-Spiti. The state government is also very keen on the Chandigarh-Baddi broad gauge railway line project, for which a feasibility survey was undertaken recently by the Railways.