In what is seen as India’s response to China’s Tibet Rail, the Prime Minister’s Office has given its in-principle approval to Himachal Pradesh’s proposal for a railway line to Leh via the Rohtang Pass. The high-powered China Study Group (CSG) has been asked to provide its assessment by the month-end.

Simultaneously, the PMO has already instructed the Railway Ministry to carry out a proper feasibility survey of the Bilaspur-Leh route and submit its report latest by November. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, sources said, is keen that there should be no delay in taking the proposal forward.

The CSG that comprises the Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, Home Secretary besides heads of the Intelligence Bureau and RAW will now look into the project from a strategic perspective and give its comments by August-end. A favourable opinion from the CSG will elevate the strategic significance of the project and remove several funding barriers.

The plan on paper is to build a railway line from Bilaspur to Leh covering approximately 400 km which, by a broad estimate, could end up costing around Rs 5,000 crore. Already, the Centre has agreed to provide Rs 1,000 crore for building the railway line from Bhanupalli to Bilaspur which can be then extended further.

Similarly, Rs 1,300 crore has been sanctioned for gauge conversion of the Pathankot-Jogindernagar railway line. The larger plan is that this line would intersect with the Bilaspur line that would carry on to Leh via the Rohtang Pass.

In all, the Centre is backing the Himachal government to build about 650 km of railway lines in the state which will have major strategic and economic significance. Currently, the broad estimate is that about Rs 8,000-10,000 crore will have to budgeted for this purpose.

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