Financial Hurdles in Himachal Pradesh’s Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri Rail Project
The Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri (63 kilometers) new railway line project is facing delays due to the Himachal Pradesh government’s failure to fulfill its financial commitments. In response to a question raised by Hamirpur MP and former Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur in the Lok Sabha, Rail Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw confirmed that the state government was supposed to contribute a total of ₹2,910 crore under the cost-sharing arrangement, but has only deposited ₹847 crore so far.
This leaves an outstanding amount of ₹2,063 crore, which is impacting the implementation and payment processes of the project. Additionally, the land acquisition and transfer processes for the Bilaspur-Beri section have not been completed, further hindering construction efforts.
Anurag Singh Thakur emphasized that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the central government is committed to expanding modern railway infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh. He noted that land acquisition for the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur section is nearly complete and that forest clearance has also been obtained.
Progress Made
As part of the project, significant progress has been made, including:
- Completion of 15 out of 16 tunnels
- 39 out of 49 minor bridges
- 10 out of 27 major bridges
- 6 out of 8 road over bridges
- Completion of all road under bridges and limited height subways
This progress highlights that where the state government has provided the necessary support, the project has advanced rapidly.