Soon Leh will become a year-round destination for the eager travelers, as the Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu initiated the FLS (Final Location Survey) for the 498 km long railway line that will connect Bilaspur to Leh.
Commencing the construction of one of the four strategic rail lines at Leh in Ladakh, the Indian Railways is expected to present the FLS report to the ministry of defense by 2022. This railway line will be built at an elevation of 3,300 meters, and it will be one of the highest railway lines surpassing China’s Qinghai-Tibet Railway.
The four strategic railway lines are being constructed to strengthen India’s borders against China. Besides the Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line, the other three railway routes are Missamari-Tenga-Tawang (378 km), North Lakhimpur-Bame (Along)-Silapathar (249 km), and Pasighat-Tezu-Parsuram Kund-Rupai (227 km).
With the aim of expediting troop and armament movement to the frontier areas, the construction of these four strategic railway lines is predicted to exceed a cost of 2 lakh crore.
After receiving the approval from the Cabinet Committee of Security in December 2015, a government official stated that “the railway lines are situated in arduous and demanding geological conditions as the Himalayas are youthful and delicate mountains.”
He further mentioned that the projects are characterized as capital-intensive and no traffic is anticipated on these routes. In addition to this, the enormous cost of this project will be borne by the Ministry of Defense and not the Indian Railways.
Quick Facts About The Bilaspur-Manali-Leh Rail Line
- This route will be connecting all the significant landmarks between Bilaspur and Leh which includes Sunder Nagar, Mandi, Manali, Tandi, Keylong, Koksar, Darcha, Upshi, and Karu.
- In total fourteen strategic lines have been identified, among which these four strategic lines will be undertaken in the initial phase. The Bilaspur-Leh rail line will be along the Himachal and Jammu-Kashmir border, whereas the other three lines will run along the Assam-Arunachal border.
- With the construction of this rail line, Leh region in Ladakh will be easily accessible throughout the year as the road connectivity gets obstructed between the months of October-March due to heavy snowfall.
- The Bilaspur-Leh rail line will further interconnect with Bhanupali which is a region located between Anandpur Sahib and Nangal Dam.
The establishment of this rail line will be a significant triumph in India’s progress and for the explorers who are eagerly waiting to discover the captivating landscapes of the Leh. The countdown has commenced, and soon you can embark on a rail journey to explore this tranquil region in Ladakh and other splendid regions in Himachal even in December.
Category: Himachal, Trending
