Delay in land transfer, funding hold up Rs 6,753-cr rail project: Vaishnaw

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Friday told the Rajya Sabha that the Centre has sanctioned the 63-km Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri rail line at a cost of Rs 6,753 crore, but warned that the project is being dragged due to Himachal Pradesh’s failure to hand over land and deposit its committed share of funds. In a detailed reply, Vaishnaw said the project, shared in a 75:25 ratio between the Centre and the state, requires 124 hectares of land, of which only 82 hectares have been provided so far, leaving the Bilaspur–Beri stretch blocked.

He said the state has also deposited Rs 847 crore out of its mandated Rs 2,711 crore share with Rs 1,863 crore still unpaid, delaying construction.

The minister said the Government of India is “fully geared to execute” rail projects in the hill state, but emphasised that progress ultimately depends on timely support from the Himachal Pradesh government. The Bhanupalli–Bilaspur–Beri line, he noted, has already seen an expenditure of Rs 5,252 crore and work is continuing on whatever land has been made available. “Non-availability of land and non-fulfilment of commitments by the state are adversely affecting the project,” he said.

Vaishnaw highlighted that the Centre has sharply increased its rail outlay for Himachal Pradesh, raising the state’s annual allocation from Rs 108 crore during 2009-14 to Rs 2,716 crore in 2025-26, a more than twentyfive-fold jump. Despite this, he said, the state’s delay in land acquisition and funding is slowing down key connectivity projects.

On broader expansion plans, the minister informed the House that the strategic Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line, identified by the Ministry of Defence, has completed its survey and Detailed Project Report.

He said the proposed 489-km corridor cuts through some of the toughest Himalayan terrain, requiring an extraordinary 270 km of tunnels, and is estimated to cost Rs 1.31 lakh crore. Its execution, he cautioned, will depend on geological conditions, statutory clearances, working months available in high-altitude zones and other operational constraints.

Vaishnaw also detailed ongoing works aimed at improving rail access within the state. The Nangal Dam-Una-Andaura-Daulatpur Chowk section has been commissioned, marking a key milestone in the Nangal Dam-Talwara corridor.

The remaining Daulatpur Chowk–Kartoli (Punjab)–Talwara stretch, spanning 52 km, is currently under execution. Parallelly, the Chandigarh–Baddi new line, a long-pending demand of industries and commuters, is being built at a sanctioned cost of Rs 1,540 crore. The survey for the Baddi–Ghanauli new line has been completed and the DPR prepared.

Responding to questions on delays and approvals, the minister outlined the policy criteria that guide sanctioning of new railway lines: projected traffic revenue, operational requirements, socio-economic benefits, first and last-mile connectivity, network decongestion, requests from states and ministries, and overall fund availability.

He said that completing rail projects, especially in hilly areas, depends on several factors, including land acquisition, forest clearance, shifting of utilities, geological surprises, topography, law and order, statutory permissions and weather-related working limitations.

Vaishnaw said the Centre is committed to expanding rail connectivity in Himachal Pradesh, both for strategic and civilian needs, but reiterated that time-bound delivery hinges on the state fulfilling its responsibilities on land and funding.