‘Leh-Manali to be connected by rail’

Four strategic places along the Sino-India border have been identified by the Defence Ministry for rail connectivity in the first phase, Lok Sabha was informed Monday.
They are Missamari-Tenga-Tawang (378 km), Bilaspur-Manali- Leh (498 km), Pasighat-Tezu-Rupai (227 km) and North Lakhimpur-Bame-Silapathar (249km), Minister of State for Railways Manoj Sinha said.
In a written reply, he said, “The Railway Ministry has requested the Defence Ministry to convey approval to carry out final location survey at a cost of Rs 345 crore and provide the necessary funds.”
The time of completion and cost, however, cannot be ascertained till completion of the final location survey and detailed geotechnical studies and consequent sanction of the project, he added.
To a related question, he said no strategic line along Pakistan border has been identified by the Defence Ministry in the first phase.