Chandigarh, August 16
Former Union Minister of State for Railways and BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu has welcomed the sanction of the Detailed Estimate of ₹1,419.05 crore for the 39.68-km Qadian–Beas New Broad Gauge Railway Line, describing it as a major milestone for Punjab and a historic development for the Majha region.
Bittu expressed his gratitude to Hon Prime Minister of India Sh Narendra Modi ji and Union Minister for Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw and the Railway Board for taking forward the long-pending project and said the sanction marks a major breakthrough after years of efforts to revive and defreeze the railway line.
“I personally pursued this long-pending project and ensured that the Qadian–Beas line, which had remained stuck for years, was defrozen and brought back into active consideration,” Bittu said. “During my tenure, I repeatedly took up the matter with the Railway Ministry and Railway officials and pushed for the defreezing of the project so that this long-pending rail link could once again move towards implementation,” he added.
In June 2026, the Government of India formally announced the revival of the 39.68-km Qadian–Beas line at an estimated cost of around ₹1,400 crore. The latest Railway Board sanction has now placed the Detailed Estimate at ₹1400 crores.
“Gurdaspur and Batala will gain substantially from improved access to the railway network through the Qadian corridor, while Beas will provide an important connectivity point towards the wider railway network. This will make movement of people, agricultural produce, traders, students and pilgrims easier and more efficient and will strengthen economic linkages between towns and villages of the Majha region,” Bittu said.