India government plans to build a 498 kilometer rail network through Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line in Jammu and Kashmir, which will pass at a height of 3,300 meters making it the highest rail track in the world, overtaking China’s Qinghai-Tibet Railway.

The final location survey of the Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line at Leh in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted this week. India’s railway minister Suresh Prabhu will inaugurate the final survey work on 27 June, funded by defense ministry.

An official said that in a bid to strengthen infrastructure along the China border, the project involves the construction of 498-km railway line through Bilaspur, Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh and passes through Zoji La, Kargil to Leh. They want to complete the final survey work by the first quarter of 2019 and laying work of rail track by 2022.

Bilaspur-Manali-Leh is one of the four lines which were identified by India’s defense ministry in 2014 to build on an urgent basis and is likely to be used for supplies for the Army and troop movement in times of need.

Other projects include 378-kilometer Missamari-Tenga-Tawang line in Arunachal Pradesh, the 227-kilometer Pasighat-Tezu-Rupai and North Lakhimpur-Bame (Along)-Silapathar of 249 kilometers. All these lines are along the Indo-China border.

It is estimated that the Leh project will cost approximately $5 billion to the Indian government while these four strategic lines will require approximately $48 billion for completion.

It had been decided that these 4 identified strategic lines will be fully funded by either the defense ministry or finance ministry, and the grant for these strategic lines are given over and above yearly budgetary support through a separate window while costs for final location survey will be provided by the defense ministry.

Final location survey involves detailed study of topographical features (creation of digital elevation model based on satellite imagery), detailed geological investigation/mapping, geophysical, geotechnical examination, etc., and consultation with tunneling and geological experts. After finalization of alignment, the exact length of bridges and tunnels can be ascertained and thereafter cost estimate can be firmed up, India’s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Railway said in its report.

Indian Railway has begun feasibility study at Missamari-Tenga-Tawang rail line March this year. China has opposed this line as it considers Tawang as the southern part of Tibet while the Indian government’s consistent with its approach for decades that Tawang is an integral part of India. Last year in July, Bilaspur-Manali-Leh project had received approvals for carrying out the construction activities and final location survey.

In January this year, India’s Minister for Highway and Road Transport Nitin Gadkari announced that $7.5 billion will be spent on road construction projects in the next five years for Arunachal Pradesh.

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