The Government of India (GoI) has revived the Qadian-Beas New Railway Line Project, connecting Qadian in Gurdaspur district with Beas in Amritsar district through a 39.68 km broad-gauge corridor in Punjab.
The project is expected to entail a total investment of Rs 14 billion.
The project will be executed by Northern Railway (NR). The proposed alignment will pass through Qadian, Dhapai, Ghuman, Butala, Sathiala and Beas. The project envisages development of two crossing stations at Ghuman and Butala, eleven major bridges, 121 minor bridges, 54 Road Under Bridges, modern signaling and telecommunication systems, and deployment of Kavach.
The project was first approved during 1928-29 by the then North Western Railway (NWR), with construction progressing substantially by the early 1930s before discontinuation. It was revived under the Socially Desirable Rail Connectivity Programme and included in the supplementary Railway Budget 2010-11, with a revised Detailed Estimate of approximately Rs 14 billion. The line will also serve as an alternative rail corridor to the Amritsar-Pathankot section during emergencies.