HP hails Centre's approval for railway line upto Leh

Shimla, Aug 13 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh Government today welcomed the Centre's approval for 400-km long broad guage railway line project connecting the national borders at Leh through Rohtang pass with Pathankaot-Jogindernagar rail link.

The railway line via Mandi, Manali and Keylong would cost around Rs 14,000 crore.

Irrigation and Public Health Minister Ravinder Singh Ravi , Food, Civil Supplies Minister and Consumer Affairs Minister Ramesh Dhawala and Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Sarveen Chaudhary in a joint statement here said, ''The state government had invited the attention of the Union Government towards the strategic necessity of this railway line keeping in view the all weather railway line made by China connecting its border with India through Lhasa two years ago.'' ''With the execution of this project the Union Government would save on the huge expenditure being incurred upon transportation of essential commodities for border military forces, as well as, local population in the region,'' they said.

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