Beginning of the final location survey for the 498-km Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh rail line has left the residents of Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir elated. The railway track would be of immense strategic importance for defence forces along the China border and also boost tourism in these areas

Beginning of the final location survey for the 498-km Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh rail line has left the residents of Lahaul-Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir elated. The railway track would be of immense strategic importance for defence forces along the China border and also boost tourism in these areas.

The survey is expected to be completed by 2019 after which construction of the track would start.

With the objective to connect Leh with a broad gauge line, Indian Railways had carried the first survey in 2008-09.

The work of final location survey, launched by union railway minister Suresh Prabhu from Leh on Tuesday, has been entrusted to RITES Limited and is scheduled to be completed by March 2019 with an approximate cost of Rs 157 crore.

The final survey is a precursor to actual construction from Bilaspur to Leh via Manali. The alignment shall connect Mandi, Kullu, Manali, Keylong and other important towns of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir enroute.

The line from Bilaspur shall be further connected to Bhanupali between Anandpur Sahib and Nangal Dam.

Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, Chief Executive Councilor, Dr Sonam Dawa Lonpo said that people of the Ladakh region are happy with the start of final survey.

“As construction of Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh would take time, I had requested union railway minister to construct rail line within Ladakh region on the line of Kashmir valley and he has assured to consider our de mand,“ he added.

Lonpo said that no one is ready to give a deadline for the completion of the rail line project as they are apprehensive about the challenges to be thrown by Shivalik, Himalayan and Zanskar ranges.

“It is being estimated that after survey, a railway track could be laid in 8-10 years,“ he added.

Lahaul-Spiti, MLA, Ravi Thakur said that both Lahaul-Spiti and Leh has very limited connectivity with outer world. He said construction of rail line would also boost tourism in the entire region. HP leader of opposition Prem Kumar Dhumal said that track was of immense importance both for strategic as well as socioeconomic needs.

He said that final survey shows the commitment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to complete this project of national importance at the earliest. “This project is gift of Modi to the people of Himachal and Ladakh,“ he added.