The Bhanupli–Leh line is an under-construction, high-elevation, all-weather, long, wide gauge, electrified railway track connecting Bhanupli in Punjab state to Leh in Ladakh union territory of India. It will reduce travel time from New Delhi to Leh to 10 hours. Passing through seismic zone IV and V at an elevation of 600m to 5,360m above sea level, the line will surpass China's Qinghai–Tibet railway to become the highest railway in the world. The Indian Defence Ministry identified this project as one of the four important strategic railway connections to the border with China. The line, with a total length of , including the Leh-Sasherthang rail link, will cost ₹99,000 crore (~US$12.4 billion). This includes ₹62,0000 crore (~US$7.75 billion) for 62 tunnels of total 270 km length, 114 major bridges and 90 minor bridges. The construction phases are: Phase-0: Bhanupli to Barmana in Bilaspur, long link connecting Ladakh to Indian railway network at existing Bhanupli station of Ambala-Sirhind-Una rail line. As of February 2022, the completion date for this under-construction track is 2025. Phase-1: Barmana to Mandi. Phase-2: Mandi to Manali. Phase-3: Manali to Upshi. Phase-4: Upshi to Leh. Phase-5: Leh to Sasherthang link, included in the project at the request of Indian Military.
Significance & features
After the Jammu–Baramulla line, the Bhanupli–Leh line will be the most challenging railway project in Indian Railways due to high mountains, a large number of tunnels, high bridges, and severe cold weather. To cater to military logistics needs, the loop line will be constructed at five stations for the exclusive use of military loading and unloading at Karu, Sissu, Debring, Leh, and Sesharthang. The rail line will be extended from Leh to Sesharthang.
Construction phases
The project will require the acquisition of of land, of which 26% is forest land, at a cost of ₹11,500 crore (~US$8.5 billion). of approach roads will be constructed.
Phase-0: Bhanupli to Barmana (Bilaspur), 63.1 km
Phase-0 is from the existing Bhanupli railway station, in Rupnagar district of Punjab state, on Ambala-Sirhind-Una railway line, to Barmana in Bilaspur district in Himachal Pradesh state. It has a total track length of , 20 tunnels totalling , 24 bridges totalling , and 2 viaducts totalling .
Of these, only seven tunnels are part of phase-0a (Bhanupli in Punjab to Dharot in Naina Devi tehsil of Bilaspur district). The remainder of the tunnels, and both viaducts, are in phase-0b.
There are five main stations in this phase: one in Punjab, at Thural; and four in Himachal Pradesh, at Dharot, Jagatkhana, Bilaspur, and Barmana.
Phase-1: (Barmana) Bilaspur to Mandi, ~30 km, under land acquisition
As of May 2022 land acquisition, between Barmana and Mandi, for this phase is underway.
Phase-2: Mandi to Manali, ~180 km, under land acquisition
This section lies entirely within Himachal Pradesh.
Phase-3: Manali to Upshi, ~380 km, under land acquisition
This section connects Himachal Pradesh to Ladakh.
Phase-4: Upshi to Leh, ~45 km, under land acquisition
This section lies entirely within Ladakh.
Phase-5: Leh to Sasherthang military link, 13 km, under planning
This section, which lies entirely within Ladakh, will serve the Indian military's logistics needs on India-China LAC, India-Pakistan LOC in Ladakh and Kashmir, and India-Pakistan AGPL in Siachen. This section has a tunnel and a bridge.
Future extensions
1. Leh-Srinagar rail line, 480 km, Rs55,896 project, awaiting the "strategic national project" status & approval.
1.1. Leh-Kargil rail line, 210 km.
1.2. Kargil-Srinagar rail line, 225 km.
2. Leh-Pathankot line, 664-km, Rs70,308 crore project, awaiting the "strategic national project" status & approval.
3. Leh-DBO rail line, via Diskit, Sasoma (near Siachen) & Sasser Pass to Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO).
4. Upshi-Demchok rail line, via Nyoma, Hanle & Fukche to Demchok (DBO).
Status updates
March 2012: The Ministry of Railways sent the project to the Planning Commission for appraisal.
December 2016: The Bhanupli–Leh rail Final Location Survey (FLS) was approved, at a cost of ₹345 crore. The railway requests adequate land, to set up a camp office in Ladakh and the required infrastructure, from the LAHDC.
June 2017: The then Railway Minister, Suresh Prabhu, laid the foundation stone to mark the beginning of FLS. FLS to be completed by October 2020.
December 2021: The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Leh-Sasherthang rail link (for military logistics) completed.