Rail Budget 2013: Himachal Pradesh gets new train, skill honing centre

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday got a new train and other projects from Union railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal, but the state’s opposition BJP described the railway budget for 2013-14 as “disappointing”.
Presenting the annual budget of his ministry in Lok Sabha, Bansal announced starting a new express train between Una and Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra, known for its Sikh shrine.Named Una-Hazur Sahib Nanded Express, the train will run once in a week via Anandpur Sahib, Morinda, Chandigarh and Ambala.
Bansal also announced to conduct surveys in the next fiscal for Amb-Kangra via Nadaun, Baddi-Bilaspur and Dharamsala-Palampur rail lines, all located in low hills. As part of skill development of the youths in railway-related trades, the minister announced to set up one of the 25 centres in Shimla.
On the strategically important Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line connecting Himachal and Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir, adjoining China border, Bansal announced he would pursue approval of certain projects of national importance, including this line.
“In view of the recommendations of the parliamentary committees and demands from various border states, I will pursue for approval of certain projects identified as being of national importance namely Bilaspur-Manali-Leh, Jammu-Poonch via Akhnoor, Tanakpur-Bageshwar and Parsuramkund-Rupai,” said the Union minister in his speech.
Chief minister Virbhadra Singh had held a series of meeting with Bansal in the recent past and made demand for connecting Baddi with Kalka-Shimla rail track, completion of Nangal-Talwara line, extending the proposed Bhanupali-Bilaspur rail track to Mandi and connecting Pathankot-Jogindernager line to Mandi after converting it to broad gauge.
Reacting to the rail budget, former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said the UPA government has once again given a stepmotherly treatment to Himachal. “Announcement of holding survey for the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh line shows that the Union government is not interested in extending rail line to Leh through Himachal Pradesh,” he said.
“Bilaspur-Manali-Leh rail line is not only of strategic importance but would also boost tourism in the area. The budget presented by Bansal too has left Himachal residents feel cheated,” he added.
BJP's national vice-president Shanta Kumar, who belongs to the hill state, described the railway budget as discriminatory and disappointing.
“Despite the strategic importance of the Mandi-Manali-Leh rail line, the central government has been indifferent towards its construction,” he said in a statement here.
Baddi-Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries Association president Arun Rawat described the railway budget a big disappointment for industries in the state.
He said that Himachal too needs improved rail connectivity considering the fact that Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagar is the largest industrial corridor with one lakh tonne of goods transported per day. “In absence of rail connectivity, the entire industrial pressure is on roads,” he said.
Budget 2013 > Rail Budget 2013 > Economic Survey 2013