India to build rail lines along its borders at Rs 80,000 cr

The Union government has completed survey on 10 key proposed railway lines for which most of the funding likely to come out of the railway budget. The government is preparing a Rs 80,000 crore plan to build the railway lines along India's strategic frontiers. Working in tandem railways and the military have identified certain lines that must be given priority in construction. The strategic lines include the Srinagar-Kargil-Leh railway line. It will cover a distance of more than 400 km cutting by half the current travel time of eight hours by road.

Construction will take place at heights ranging from 6000 feet to 13,000 feet. Another line will connect the military hub of Pathankot with Leh, a distance of 278 km. In the Northeast a line will connect Misamari in Dhemaji district of Assam to Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh, a distance of 320 km.

Along with other lines in Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, the armed forces will be able to move troops and equipment faster in any emergency.