New Delhi, April 26: The ambitious and strategically
crucial project to link mountain-locked Ladakh region of Jammu
and Kashmir with rest of the country by train has moved a step
closer to fructification with the Railways finalising the
feasibility report in this regard.
The first rail link is proposed to be between Leh and
Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh and six passenger trains and nine
goods trains are planned on the 498 km-long section.
"The feasibility report of Leh-Bilaspur rail link project
is almost ready and it will be submitted to Railway Ministry
shortly for scrutiny. After the scrutiny, the report would be
sent to the Planning Commission before being sent to
Parliament for final approval," said a senior Railway Ministry
official involved with the feasibility study.
The project is strategically crucial as it is part of
India`s efforts to improve infrastructure in the border region
considering that China has already built a rail link to Tibet.
China has also improved connectivity with Pakistan via
the Karakoram highway which runs close to the Indian border.
The proposed Leh rail project came up for discussion at
the Army Commanders` Conference here recently in the context
of improving supply lines along the border like China has
done.
According to the study, the Leh-Bilaspur project, which
is estimated to cost about Rs 22,000 crore, 6,000 passengers
are expected to travel daily in the section, once the line is
operational.
Bureau Report
