Centre Revives Qadian–Beas Rail Link In Punjab After Century-Long Delay
Qadian–Beas rail project in Punjab revived after nearly a century.
The Union government has revived the long-pending Qadian–Beas railway line project in Punjab, nearly a century after it was first approved and subsequently shelved. The proposed project, estimated to cost around ₹1,400 crore, comes at a time when infrastructure development in the region has regained political and administrative focus ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections.
Union Minister of State for Railways and Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh Bittu announced that the project will be executed by Northern Railway and will connect Qadian in Gurdaspur district with Beas in Amritsar district. The 39.68-km broad-gauge corridor is expected to significantly improve regional connectivity across the Majha belt of Punjab.
The proposed railway alignment will pass through several towns and villages, including Dhapai, Ghuman, Butala, Sathiala and Beas, bringing a number of rural and semi-urban areas into the railway network. Officials said the project aims to improve accessibility for residents while strengthening transportation links in the region.
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The railway ministry has planned the corridor with modern infrastructure features, including crossing stations at Ghuman and Butala, 11 major bridges, 121 minor bridges, 54 road under bridges (RUBs), advanced signalling and telecommunication systems, and the deployment of the indigenous Kavach train collision avoidance system to enhance safety.
The project has a long and complex history, having first been approved in 1928–29 during the British era under the North-Western Railway. Construction had progressed significantly by the early 1930s before being halted in 1932, leaving nearly one-third of the work incomplete due to changing priorities and administrative decisions.
It was later revived in the 2010 Railway Budget under the “socially desirable projects” category but was delayed again due to procedural and planning concerns. According to officials, the Railway Board has now sought the “defreezing” of the project and resubmission of the detailed estimate to expedite approval and begin construction.
Beyond connectivity, the project is expected to have wider economic implications for the region. Officials said it could improve market access for agricultural produce, boost local trade and small industries, generate employment opportunities during construction and operation, and provide an alternative rail route to the Amritsar–Pathankot section during emergencies, enhancing the resilience of rail operations in northern India.
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