The Centre has pointed to Himachal Pradesh’s failure to provide land and its committed share of funds as the main reasons behind the slow progress of the Bhanupalli–Bilaspur–Beri (BBB) rail line. The 63-km project, sanctioned at a cost of ₹6,753 crore, is being developed on a cost-sharing basis, with 25% to be borne by the state and the remaining 75% by the Government of India.
Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, said the Himachal Pradesh government has handed over only 82 hectares of the 124 hectares required for the project. The land between Bilaspur and Beri is yet to be provided, directly affecting construction work already underway on the limited land available. The minister said the project remains “adversely affected” because of non-availability of land.
The Centre also highlighted that Himachal Pradesh has deposited only ₹847 crore of its required ₹2,711-crore share, leaving a pending amount of ₹1,863 crore. So far, ₹5,252 crore has already been spent on the BBB rail line, including a land cost component of ₹1,617 crore. The minister said the Centre is fully prepared to execute the railway works, but their success “depends upon the support of the State Government.”
Despite delays in the BBB project, the Railways underlined that Himachal Pradesh has received a major boost in infrastructure funding. The annual rail outlay has risen from ₹108 crore during 2009–14 to ₹2,716 crore for 2025–26 — an increase of more than 25 times.
The Centre also listed ongoing and planned works to expand rail connectivity in the state. The Nangal Dam–Una–Andaura–Daulatpur Chowk section has been commissioned, and work is in progress on the Daulatpur Chowk–Talwara stretch. Construction of the Chandigarh–Baddi rail line is also underway at a cost of ₹1,540 crore. Additionally, the survey for the Baddi–Ghanauli route has been completed and its Detailed Project Report prepared.
The minister informed that the 489-km Bilaspur–Manali–Leh rail line, declared a strategic route by the Ministry of Defence, has also completed survey and DPR stages. The project includes 270 km of tunnels and is estimated at ₹1.31 lakh crore. Its execution will be extremely challenging because the route passes through the Himalayas, known for geological surprises and difficult terrain.
Railway projects, the Minister noted, face delays due to several interlinked factors. These include land acquisition, forest clearances, shifting of utilities, statutory approvals, topographical challenges, law and order issues around project sites, and a limited number of workable months in harsh terrain. Traffic projections, route viability, first and last-mile connectivity, operational needs, socio-economic considerations, and fund availability also influence timelines.
The Centre has made it clear that while it is prepared to take up the rail projects, the timely completion of the BBB rail line now depends on Himachal Pradesh fulfilling its pending commitments on land and financial contribution.
