Shimla – The Union Budget has once again left Himachal Pradesh wanting when it comes to railway expansion. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has offered little more than symbolic gestures, disappointing the hopes of many in the state. Expectations were high for a significant budget allocation to complete the Nangal-Una-Talwara railway line in one go, but those hopes were dashed yet again.
Announcements previously made concerning Himachal Pradesh’s railway infrastructure remain unfulfilled, and this year’s budget brought no additional funding for the Bhanpulli-Bilaspur railway route. There was also no mention of including the Leh extension in the National Priority Scheme, a move many had been eagerly anticipating.
In Kangra district, there was no discussion of railway line expansion. The Union Budget failed to address the long-standing demand to convert the Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge line to broad gauge, nor did it propose a survey for the same. Similarly, the Una-Hamirpur rail line and the connectivity of Himachal Pradesh’s Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) industrial area with a rail line were absent from the budget discourse.
Currently, the only broad gauge railway line in the state, the Nangal-Una-Talwara route, remains incomplete. Although the rail has reached Daulatpur Chowk, progress is slow due to the sluggish pace of land acquisition in Punjab, delaying the extension to Talwara. The Nangal-Una-Talwara-Mukerian rail link is considered a strategic alternative route, yet efforts to extend this service beyond Amb to Jawalamukhi, Nadaun, and other interior regions remain insufficient.
The people of Himachal Pradesh had hoped for a more significant commitment to railway development, one that would spur economic growth and enhance connectivity within the state and beyond. Unfortunately, this year’s budget has not met those aspirations, leaving many to wonder when their long-awaited railway projects will finally come to fruition.
