Location of world s highest rail track to be decided by 2019: Prabhu

Leh/New Delhi June 27 (IANS) Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Tuesday said that the survey work for laying the world s highest railway track will be conducted by March 2019.

According to Prabhu the survey work for the 498 km long Bilaspur-Mandi-Leh railway line will cost around Rs 157 crore.

Railway Minister Prabhu today (Tuesday) laid the foundation stone of the final location survey of the world s highest railway track a senior railway official told IANS.

The cost of the final location survey would be borne by Defence Ministry.

The railway official said that earlier in 2008-09 a survey was carried out on the proposed route. The report was submitted in March 2009.

The official elaborated that the work for the final location survey has been entrusted to RITES a railway PSU.

Once completed the project will connect Mandi Kullu Manali Keylong and other important towns of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir enroute.

--IANS
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