Bilaspur–Leh line

Bilaspur–Leh line
Bilaspur–Leh line
Overview
Status	; Survey – done; Feasibility Report – done; Submission to Planning Commission for appraisal – done; Approval by Planning Commission – yes; Land Acquisition – In progress; Construction – no;
Locale	Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh, India
Termini	Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh; Leh, Ladakh
Website	http://www.indianrailways.gov.in
Service
Services	Bilaspur–Sundernagar–Kullu–Manali–Keylong–Leh
Technical
Line length	498 km (309 mi)
Track length	498 km (309 mi)
Track gauge	1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Electrification	proposed
Highest elevation	5,359 m (17,582 ft) at Taglang La
Route map
	Legend

Bilaspur–Leh line is a proposed high-elevation all-weather 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge railway track that was planned to connect Bilaspur in Himachal Pradesh to Leh in Ladakh union territory of India.^[1]^[2] It would link to the Indian railway network via an extension of the 62 km long under-construction railway line from Bhanupali to Bilaspur. is the railway station on existing Ambala-Sirhind-Una section of Northern railway.

The total expected length of Bilaspur–Leh line was 498 km (309 miles). It would become the highest railway track in the world, overtaking the current record of the Qinghai–Tibet Railway.^[3] The Railway Budget 2011-2012 announced that the project would be taken up in the next year's budget.^[4] The next year's Railway Budget announced that the project was sent to the Planning Commission for appraisal.^[5]^[6] As of September 2016, Northern Railways had begun the process of acquiring land for setting up office in Leh.^[7]

History[]

The Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh asked the Government of India to extend railway connectivity from Bilaspur to Leh through Mandi, Manali and Keylong. This would increase tourism in Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh and facilitate quicker movement of troops and equipment.^[1]^[2] Following an examination of the feasibility report for the proposed Bilaspur–Leh line, the Union Railway Ministry of India forwarded the recommendation to the Planning Commission of India for its approval.^[6] The survey for the project had been done and presently it is seeking approval of the planning commission of India and while railway minister assured about early clearance of this project.

Strategic importance[]

Once this railway line is completed, Leh will be directly connected to Himachal Pradesh and the rest of India by railway. The distance between Bilaspur and Leh will be about 460 km (290 mi). When the railway lines to Bilaspur and then to Leh are completed, the time taken to reach Leh from Delhi will be reduced to less than two days compared to about four days by the existing highway from Manali. Personnel and equipment will be transported more easily to Leh, a strategic military base. This is one of the four important railway connectivity along China border identified by the Defence Ministry.^[8]

Post Galwan clash with China, The Government of India expedited the land acquisition for the project.^[9]

Challenges[]

After Jammu–Baramulla line, Bilaspur–Leh line will be the most challenging railway project in Indian Railways due to high mountains, a large number of tunnels and high bridges and severe cold weather.^{[original research?]} According to the survey report, cost of construction of this 458 km (285 mi) long all-weather broad-gauge railway line has been calculated at ₹83,360 crore (~USD 11.3 bn at time of publication^[10]) with a negative rate of return of 4.46%.^[11]

Progress[]

The 498 km (309 mi) Bilaspur–Leh rail project has been expedited and the Final Location Survey for this has been undertaken at a cost of ₹345 crore. The railway had requested the LAHDC to provide adequate land for setting up a camp office, and the required infrastructure.^[12] In April 2017, the Government said that the Final location Survey (FSL) for these will be completed by the October 2020.^[13] In June 2017, foundation stone was laid for final location survey by then Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu.^[14]

Taglang La railway station[]

Taglang La

Taglang La railway station at Taglang La is expected to become the highest railway station in the world at 5,359 m (17,582 ft) above the sea level overtaking the current record of Tanggula railway station in Qinghai, China at 5,086 m (16,686 ft).

References[]

^ ^a ^b "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.
^ ^a ^b "Rail link to Leh: Centre seeks Plan panel nod". visitladakh.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
^ "When men defies his limits: Living in the altitude". SummitPost. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
^ http://www.india.gov.in/images/railbudget11-12.pdf
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ ^a ^b "'Manali–Leh railway line project report with Planning Commission". Himvani.com. 26 December 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2012.
^ "Railways seeks land at Leh to expedite rail link project". The Economic Times. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
^ "Four places along China border identified for rail connectivity: Government". The Economic Times. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
^ Service, Tribune News. "Centre expedites land acquisition for Bilaspur-Leh railway line". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
^ "US Dollar (USD) to Indian Rupee (INR) Historical Exchange Rates on 18th October 2018". www.exchangerates.org.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
^ "Railways seeks central funding for Bilaspur-Leh project on India-China border".
^ Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line on fast track
^ Centre announces final location survey of three railway lines in Arunachal Pradesh
^ "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". 27 June 2017.

External links[]

Google map of the existing and planned route with additional spurs

[nvonews1-1] "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.

[visitladakh1-2] "Rail link to Leh: Centre seeks Plan panel nod". visitladakh.com. Archived from the original on 12 March 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2012.

[3] "When men defies his limits: Living in the altitude". SummitPost. Retrieved 2 April 2012.

[4] ttp://www.india.gov.in/images/railbudget11-12.pdf

[5] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2012. Retrieved 31 March 2012.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[himvani1-6] "'Manali–Leh railway line project report with Planning Commission". Himvani.com. 26 December 2010. Retrieved 2 April 2012.

[:0-7] "Railways seeks land at Leh to expedite rail link project". The Economic Times. Retrieved 4 September 2016.

[8] "Four places along China border identified for rail connectivity: Government". The Economic Times. 22 December 2014. Retrieved 22 December 2014.

[9] Service, Tribune News. "Centre expedites land acquisition for Bilaspur-Leh railway line". Tribuneindia News Service. Retrieved 22 July 2020.

[10] "US Dollar (USD) to Indian Rupee (INR) Historical Exchange Rates on 18th October 2018". www.exchangerates.org.uk. Retrieved 18 July 2021.

[11] "Railways seeks central funding for Bilaspur-Leh project on India-China border".

[12] Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line on fast track

[13] Centre announces final location survey of three railway lines in Arunachal Pradesh

[14] "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". 27 June 2017.

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v t Railways in Northern India
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Branch lines/ sections	Agra–Bhopal section Ahmedabad–Udaipur line Allahabad–Mau–Gorakhpur main line Ambala–Attari line Amritsar–Khem Karan line Amritsar–Pathankot line Aunrihar–Jaunpur line Barauni–Gorakhpur, Raxaul and Jainagar lines Bathinda–Rewari line Bathinda–Rajpura line Bikaner–Rewari line Bilaspur–Leh line Chandigarh–Sahnewal line Delhi–Fazilka line Delhi–Kalka line Delhi–Meerut–Saharanpur line Delhi–Moradabad line Jalandhar–Firozpur line Jalandhar–Jammu line Jammu–Baramulla line Jodhpur–Bathinda line Jodhpur–Jaisalmer line Kanpur–Delhi section Laksar–Dehradun line Lucknow–Gorakhpur line Lucknow–Moradabad line Ludhiana–Fazilka line Ludhiana–Jakhal line Marwar Junction–Munabao line Mathura–Vadodara section Mau–Ghazipur–Dildarnagar main line Merta Road–Rewari line Moradabad–Ambala line Mughalsarai–Kanpur section Rewari–Rohtak line Shri Ganganagar–Sadulpur line Suratgarh–Bathinda line Varanasi–Chhapra line Varanasi–Lucknow main line Varanasi–Rae Bareli–Lucknow line Varanasi–Sultanpur–Lucknow line
Urban and suburban rail transport	Delhi Suburban Railway Delhi Metro (Blue Green Grey Magenta Orange Pink Red Violet Yellow) Rapid Metro Gurgaon Lucknow–Kanpur Suburban Railway Barabanki–Lucknow Suburban Railway Delhi–Meerut RRTS
Heritage railways	Kalka–Shimla Railway
Monorails	Patiala State Monorail Trainways
Defunct lines	Jammu–Sialkot line
Manufacturing units and workshops	Banaras Locomotive Works Rail Coach Factory, Kapurthala Modern Coach Factory, Raebareli
Railway companies	Northern Railway North Eastern Railway North Central Railway North Western Railway East Indian Railway Company Kangra Valley Railway Rajputana–Malwa Railway Tirhut Railway Oudh and Tirhut Railway Indian Branch Railway Company Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway Cawnpore–Burhwal Railway Cawnpore–Barabanki Railway Lucknow–Bareilly Railway Bengal and North Western Railway Rohilkund and Kumaon Railway Mashrak–Thawe Extension Railway Lucknow–Sitapur–Seramow Provincial State Railway Bareilly–Pilibheet Provincial State Railway Segowlie–Raxaul Railway Delhi Metro Rail Corporation National Capital Region Transport Corporation
See also	Indian Railways Bholu (mascot) 1974 railway strike in India Haryana Orbital Rail Corridor

v t Highest railway stations in the world
Completed	Tanggula (5,068 m) Tanggula North (4,950 m) Tanggula South (4,950 m) Tuoju (4,890 m) Zhajiazangbu (4,886 m) Ticlio (4,829 m) Buqiangge (4,823 m) Cóndor (4,786 m) Galera (4,781 m) Jiangkedong (4,778 m)
Proposed	Taglang la (5,359 m)