Shimla: Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has told the Rajya Sabha that delays by the Himachal Pradesh govt in depositing Rs 2,264 crore as its share of project cost were affecting the progress of two key railway projects in the hill state – the 28-km Chandigarh-Baddi rail line and the 63-km Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri rail line.In a written reply to a question from Anurag Sharma, the Congress Rajya Sabha member from Himachal Pradesh, the Union minister said that as of April 1, 2026, three new railway line projects, covering a total length of 214 km and estimated to cost Rs 19,439 crore, had been sanctioned fully or partly in the hill state, including the 123-km Nangal Dam-Talwara line.The minister said the Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri project, with an estimated outlay of Rs 13,770 crore, was being implemented under a cost-sharing arrangement in which the Centre bears 75% of the cost and the Himachal govt contributes 25%. In addition, the state is required to bear the full cost of land acquisition, beyond Rs 70 crore.According to Vaishnaw, Rs 8,237 crore has already been spent on the project. Under the agreed funding pattern, Himachal govt was required to contribute Rs 2,910 crore but has deposited only Rs 847 crore so far, leaving an outstanding amount of Rs 2,063 crore. He said the shortfall had adversely affected the project’s progress.On the Chandigarh-Baddi rail line, sanctioned for Rs 1,540 crore under a 50:50 cost-sharing arrangement between the Centre and the state, Vaishnaw said work was underway.Expenditure on the project has reached Rs 1,099 crore. Against the state’s required contribution of Rs 549 crore, Himachal has deposited Rs 348 crore, leaving a balance of Rs 201 crore. The pending payment, he said, had also slowed progress on the project.The minister further stated that both railway projects were impacted by the state’s failure to fulfil its financial commitments. He added that while the central govt was committed to executing the projects, their successful implementation depends on support from the Himachal Pradesh govt.Vaishnaw also informed the House that the budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully or partly in Himachal Pradesh, was Rs 108 crore per year between 2009 and 2014, and Rs 2,911 crore in 2026-27.The minister noted that completion of railway projects depended on several factors, including land acquisition, forest and statutory clearances, shifting of utilities, geological and topographical conditions, law and order, and the number of working months available each year.He said the Centre had taken steps — such as increasing fund allocation, delegating powers to field officials, closely monitoring project progress, and regularly coordinating with state govts to expedite implementation.
