The Centre has revived the long-pending Qadian-Beas railway line project in Punjab, nearly a century after it was first approved during the British era. The 39.68-km broad-gauge corridor will be developed at an estimated cost of around ₹1,400 crore, Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu announced on Thursday.
To be executed by Northern Railway, the line will connect Qadian in Gurdaspur district with Beas in Amritsar district, passing through Dhapai, Ghuman, Butala and Sathiala. The project is expected to bring several areas of Punjab’s Majha region onto the railway network and improve mobility for residents.
The proposed corridor will include two crossing stations at Ghuman and Butala, 11 major bridges, 121 minor bridges and 54 road under bridges. It will also be equipped with modern signalling and telecommunication systems, along with Kavach, India’s indigenous train collision avoidance system.
Addressing the media, Bittu thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for their support in strengthening railway infrastructure in Punjab.
Tracing the history of the project, the minister said the Qadian-Beas rail link was originally approved by the North-Western Railway during 1928-29, and construction had progressed significantly by the early 1930s before it was discontinued. The project was later included under the Socially Desirable Rail Connectivity Programme in the supplementary Railway Budget for 2010-11 but faced delays and procedural hurdles.
According to the minister, the railway line holds strategic significance as an alternative corridor to the Amritsar-Pathankot section during emergencies, enhancing the resilience of rail operations in northern India.
The project is also expected to create economic opportunities by improving market access for farmers, facilitating transportation, boosting trade and small-scale industries, and generating employment during construction and operation.
Enhanced connectivity is likely to benefit several religious and spiritual destinations, including Qadian, the birthplace of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Dera Baba Jaimal Singh in Beas, Sri Darbar Sahib, Dera Baba Nanak, Gurdwara Achal Sahib and Gurdwara Bhagat Namdev Ji in Ghuman. Improved access is expected to boost religious tourism and facilitate travel for pilgrims from across India and abroad.
