Chandigarh, August 16: A century-old transport infrastructure proposal for Punjab’s Majha region has cleared its final administrative barrier with the Central Government approving Rs 1,419.05 crore for the new Qadian-Beas broad-gauge rail corridor. Announcing the release of the detailed budget estimates, former Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu noted that the 39.68-kilometer broad-gauge track will transform regional trade, daily transit, and pilgrimage routes across Gurdaspur and Amritsar districts.
The revival marks the culmination of efforts to restore a project initially shelved during the 1930s after preliminary construction work.
“The latest Railway Board sanction has placed the detailed estimate at Rs 1,400 crore,” Bittu affirmed, expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw for reviving the stalled link.
Beyond improving direct travel options between Qadian, Ghuman, Butala, Sathiala, and Beas, the project is designed to facilitate faster transport of agricultural produce, streamline movement for students and traders, and provide reliable transit to major spiritual centers across the region.
Addressing execution parameters, the former minister maintained that the responsibility now rests entirely with state revenue authorities to hand over the required acreage.
“The Centre and the Railways have done their job. The issue is now one of administrative will and execution, rather than availability of funds,” Bittu maintained, noting that adequate funds for land compensation remain deposited with local deputy commissioners.
He pointed out that multiple communications sent to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann regarding pending land demarcations have remained unaddressed, calling upon divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to process the pending files immediately to prevent execution bottlenecks.
