‘No headway in Jammu-Poonch railway line’
NEW DELHI, Mar 12:
The anticipated cost of the new Bilaspur-Manali-Leh railway line that will provide connectivity to Kargil is Rs 1,31,000 crore, the Government said on Wednesday.
In a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on whether the Government has any plan to conduct a survey for connecting Ganderbal in Kashmir with Kargil, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a Detailed Project Report of the new Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line has been prepared.
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“Bilaspur-Manali-Leh New Line, falling partly in Union Territory of Ladakh, is identified as strategic line by Ministry of Defence. Survey of Bilaspur-Manali-Leh new line project (489 km) has been completed and Detailed Project Report has been prepared,” he said.
“The anticipated cost of the project as per the Detailed Project Report is Rs 1,31,000 crore,” he said.
Talking about the previous Srinagar-Kargil-Leh (480 km) rail project, Vaishnaw stated that the survey for it was carried out in 2016-17 and the anticipated cost of the project was Rs 55,896 crore.
“However, due to low traffic projections, the project could not be taken forward,” he said.
The Minister said that five new railway surveys are underway in Jammu and Kashmir.
Replying to a question by MP Ladakh Mohmad Haneefa in the Lok Sabha, Vaishnaw said, the Jammu-Poonch line remains stalled over feasibility concerns. However, the Banihal-Baramulla rail line doubling has been prioritized by the government.”
The Minister, clarified that there are no immediate plans to conduct a survey for a rail link between Ganderbal in Kashmir and Kargil in Ladakh, despite the strategic importance of the region.
He said the railway projects are planned and executed based on factors such as traffic projections, operational requirements and overall funding availability rather than on a district or Union Territory basis.
The Union Government also confirmed that Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir continue to remain without railway connectivity, with no immediate plans to construct a rail line from Reasi-Katra to Rajouri on a priority basis.
Replying to another question by MP Mian Altaf Ahmad, the Minister said that railway projects are sanctioned and executed based on feasibility, traffic projections and financial viability, rather than on a district or state-wise basis.
“Railway projects are approved based on factors such as last-mile connectivity, missing links, socio-economic benefits and availability of funds. Challenges such as land acquisition, forest clearances, climate conditions, and law and order situations affect the timeline of railway projects in the region,” he said.
The Minister said that a survey for a new railway line between Jammu and Poonch via Akhnoor and Rajouri (223 km) had been conducted, and the estimated cost of the project stood at Rs 22,771 crore. However, due to low traffic projections, the project has not moved forward, he added.
Meanwhile, five new railway surveys have been undertaken in Jammu and Kashmir which include Baramulla-Uri New Line (46 km), Sopore-Kupwara New Line (37 km), Anantnag-Pahalgam New Line (78 km), Avantipore-Shopian New Line (28 km) and Banihal-Baramulla and Doubling (118 km).
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