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Bhanupli–Leh line

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Bhanupli–Leh line
Overview
Status
  • Final Location Survey & DPR completed
  • Land acquisition in progress
  • Bhanupli-Bilaspur section under construction
LocalePunjab, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, India
Termini
Websitehttp://www.indianrailways.gov.in
Service
ServicesBhanupli–Bilaspur–Sundernagar–Kullu–Manali–Keylong–Leh
Technical
Line length489 km (304 mi)
Track length489 km (304 mi)
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
ElectrificationIn Progress
Highest elevation5,359 m (17,582 ft) at Taglang La
Route map

Legend
Budgam,Jammu Baramulla Line (planned)
 Ganderbal
Kargil
Leh
Choglamshahr
Sindhughat
Shey
Thicksey
Rabirpora
Chang-Karu
Upshi-Junction
Rumtse
Taglang La
Debring
Pang
Lachalungla
Sarchu
Baralachala
Dharcha
Jispa
Keylong
Tandi
Sissu
Rohtang Hault
Manali
Naggar
Kullu
Bhuntar
Aut
Pandoh
Joginder Nagar (planned)
 Mandi
Bilaspur
Jagatkhana
Dharot
Thural
Bhanupli
to Chandigarh Junction
Taglang La

The Bhanupli–Leh line, including 63.1 km (39.2 mi) long Bhanupli-Barmana (Bilaspur) link[2] and the 489 km (304 mi) long Bilaspur-Manali-Leh link,[3][4] is an under-construction 552.1 km (343.1 mi) long 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) wide broad-gauge all-weather electrified railway track connecting Bhanupli in Punjab,[5] to Leh in Ladakh.[2][6][7] Passing through seismic zone IV and V at an elevation of 600 m (2,000 ft) to 5,360 m (17,590 ft) above sea level, this geostrategically important track will reduce travel time from New Delhi to Leh to 10 hours.[3][4]

Significance

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After the Jammu–Baramulla line, the Bhanupli–Leh line will be the most challenging railway project in Indian Railways due to high mountains, a large number of tunnels, high bridges, and severe cold weather.[3] To cater to military logistics needs, the loop line will be constructed at five stations for the exclusive use of military loading and unloading at Sissu, Karu, Debring, Leh, and Sesharthang.[2]

Details

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Route

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The project has 42 new stations, including 5 between Bhaupali to Barmana (Bilaspur) and 37 stations from Bilaspur to Leh and Sarthang.[8][9]

Features

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Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line, with a total length of 489 km (304 mi), including the 13 km (8.1 mi) Leh-Sasherthang rail link, will cost ₹99,000 crore (~US$12.4 billion). This includes ₹62,000 crore (~US$7.75 billion) for 62 tunnels totaling 270 km (170 mi) in length, 114 major bridges, and 90 minor bridges.[3] [9] Bilaspur-Leh section will have 124 major bridges, 396 minor bridges, and 52% track passing through 74 tunnels (with 27 km long Keylong tunnel being longer). Since this trakc passes through sub-zero cold weather, the coaches will be pressurised to maintain oxygen level and will be heated, but there will be no sleeper class seats. Construction includes structure to mitigate landslides, cloudbursts, and avalanches in the 48% section running outside the tunnels.[9]

Construction

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Funding

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According to the 2022 Detailed Project Report (DPR), project cost will exceed ₹1 lakh crore. Total 2200 hectares land, including 572 hectares (26%), will be acquired at the cost of ₹11,500 crore. Bridges and tunnels will cost ₹62,000 crore including the large escape tunnels for ensuring passenger safety during emergencies.[10] The project requires the acquisition of 1,100 ha (11 km2) of land, of which 26% is forest land, at a cost of ₹11,500 crore (~US$8.5 billion). 150 km (93 mi) of approach roads will be constructed.[2]

Sections

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In March 2012, Ministry of Railways sent the project to the Planning Commission for appraisal.[11][12] In December 2016, the 498 km (309 mi) the budget of ₹345 crore was approved for carrying out the Final Location Survey (FLS) for Bhanupli–Leh rail,[13] which finally begun in June 2017,[14] and was completed by October 2020.[15] In March 2025, the FSL and subsequent DPR for Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line were complete.[16]

  • Section-0: Bhanupli to Barmana (Bilaspur), 63.1 km (39.2 mi) long link begins at the existing Bhanupli station,
  • Section-1: Barmana to Mandi
  • Section-2: Mandi to Manali
  • Section-3: Manali to Upshi
  • Section-4: Upshi to Leh
  • Section-5: Leh to Sasherthang 13 km (8.1 mi) link, included in the project at the request of the Indian military,[2] and Ministery of Defence had granted final approval in December 2024.[10]

Section-0: Bhanupli to Barmana (Bilaspur), 63.1 km

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The construction on this initial section is focused on connecting the existing Bhanupli railway station in the Rupnagar district of Punjab to Barmana in the Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. It has a total track length of 63.1 km (39.2 mi), 20 tunnels totaling 25 km (16 mi), 24 bridges totaling 6 km (3.7 mi), and 2 viaducts totaling 2 km (1.2 mi).[2][8][17]

Section-1: Barmana (Bilaspur) to Mandi

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In May 2022, this section commenced with land acquisition between Barmana and Mandi.[18]

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Originally, a couple of further extensions from Leh also were planned to be constructed at a later time. However, in 2023 these were officially declared to be "shelved due to low traffic projection".[3] They comprised the following.

  • 1. Leh-Srinagar rail line, 480 km (300 mi), a Rs 55,896 crore project.[3][19][20]
    • 1.1. Leh-Kargil rail line, 210 km (130 mi).[19]
    • 1.2. Kargil-Srinagar rail line, 225 km (140 mi).[19]
  • 2. Leh-Pathankot line, 664 km (413 mi), Rs 70,308 crore project.[3]

Status updates

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  • 2022 Feb: Section-1 Bilaspur (Barmana) to Mandi section land acquisition begins in Bilaspur district.[18]
  • 2022 May: Section-0 Bhanupali to Bilaspur (Barmana) completion date revised to 2025.[8] Seven tunnels of Section-0a (Bhanupli to Dharot) are complete; track-laying work has begun. Funds for Section-0b (Dharot to Bilaspur) were allocated, and construction began.[17]
  • 2023 Jul: Bilaspur-Leh line FSL (final location survey) and DPR completed. Other 2 rail routes to Leh, "Leh-Srinagar line" & "Leh-Pathankot line", were surveyed but abandoned due to the low traffic projections and consequent financial non-viability.[3]
  • 2024 Dec: Bhanupali to Leh link completion date revised to 2027.[10] Section-0 Bhanupali to Bilaspur (Barmana) section, only 79.57 hectares (63%) out of the total 124.02-hectare was required and construction was underway on the acquired land on which ₹5,205 crore had been spent but the state govt was yet to pay its share of ₹1,351 crore to the railway, thus causing delays due to lack of land acquisition and non-payment of dues.[21]
  • 2025 Feb: Cement pillars were being laid on the entire Bilaspur-Leh route to mark the track.[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Bhanupli Railway Station Timeline - Railway Enquiry".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "डीपीआर तैयार: सेना के लिए चीन सीमा तक अलग से बिछेगा 13 किलोमीटर रेल ट्रैक". Amar Ujala. Retrieved 14 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h "New Rail Lines for Leh-Pathankot, Leh-Kargil-Srinagar Shelved Due to Low Traffic Projections". News18. 29 July 2023. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  4. ^ a b "Leh? Soon, It'll Be Just a Train Ride Away". Outlook Traveller. Archived from the original on 1 November 2018. Retrieved 31 October 2018.
  5. ^ "Bhanupli Railway Station Timeline - Railway Enquiry".
  6. ^ "Himachal: Railways Awards Bhanupali-Bilaspur Railway Line Project". Nvonews.com. 19 September 2009. Archived from the original on 7 April 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  7. ^ "Rail link to Leh: Centre seeks Plan panel nod". visitladakh.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i [1], Amar Ujala, 24 April 2022.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l India’s costliest rail line will change how we view travel, theweek.in, 13 Apr 2025.
  10. ^ a b c Bilaspur-Manali-Leh Rail Line Gets Green Signal; Land Acquisition Process Begins, The News Himachal, 24 Dec 2024.
  11. ^ "Budget 2012-2013 Speech of Dinesh Trivedi Minister of Railways. March 14, 2012" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.
  12. ^ "'Manali–Leh railway line project report with Planning Commission'". Himvani.com. 26 December 2010. Archived from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
  13. ^ "Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line on fast track". The Times of India. 3 December 2016. Archived from the original on 4 December 2016. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  14. ^ Khosla, Sakshita (27 June 2017). "Train to Leh, Ladakh: Suresh Prabhu lays foundation stone for Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh Rail Line to be built at a cost of Rs 157 cr". India.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017.
  15. ^ "Centre announces final location survey of three railway lines in Arunachal Pradesh". The New Indian Express. PTI. 1 April 2017. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
  16. ^ "Indian Railways' big update on Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line". Money Control.
  17. ^ a b रेल विकास निगम: भानुपल्ली-बिलासपुर-लेह रेललाइन के लिए बिछने लगा ट्रैक, Amar Ujala, 15 May 2022.
  18. ^ a b "Land acquisition for strategic rail line begins in Himachal". 9 February 2022.
  19. ^ a b c "The Srinagar-Kargil-Leh line is a proposed railway line from Srinagar station via the town of Kargil to Leh by Indian Railways. The line was designated a national project on 26 February 2013 - www.Rail-Pass.com". www.rail-pass.com. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
  20. ^ "Centre Drops Srinagar-Kargil-Leh Rail Plan". Kashmir Life.
  21. ^ Union railway minister blames Himachal govt for delay in two rail projects, Hindustan Times, 19 Dec 2024.
  22. ^ Train to Leh: After Kashmir, Govt shifts focus towards Ladakh rail link, Kashmir Dispatch, 31 Jan 2025.
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