The world’s highest rail lines of 465 km, which will connect New Delhi and Ladakh, will be build by the Indian Railways at an estimated cost of Rs 833 billion. A strategically important Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line along the Indo-China border will be build by the national transporter.

The location survey of the first phase is completed and the final location survey is expected to be completed in 30 months. Based on this, a detailed project report (DPR) will be finalised. As of now, a 51 km stretch between Upshi in Himachal Pradesh and Phe in Leh is suggested to commence its work immediately. Due to the terrain over which the tracks are going to be laid, the rail network between New Delhi and Ladakh is going to be the most difficult project undertaken by the Indian Railways till date.

The rail line will have a highest road point of 5,360 m above sea level that is comparable only to the Qinghai-Tibet Railway Line in China, which is at a height of around 2,000 m. As per the first phase of the survey, the project is expected to have 74 tunnels, 124 major bridges and 396 minor bridges. The trains on Bilaspur-Manali-Leh line are expected to run at a speed of 75 kmph, by reducing the present distance from Delhi to Leh from 40 hours to 20 hours.