A four-decade-old railway project linking Nangal Dam to Talwara in Punjab continues to languish at 87% completion, leaving residents along the corridor in prolonged anticipation. Sanctioned in 1981-82 and launched in 1985, the project remains one of the longest pending rail infrastructure works in the country, with delays largely attributed to land acquisition challenges, environmental clearances, and administrative bottlenecks.
Spanning nearly 84 kilometres, the railway line aims to boost connectivity between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Despite over Rs 2,000 crore invested to date, progress remains mired in bureaucratic inertia. While the 60-kilometre stretch between Nangal Dam and Daulatpur Chowk is functional, the remaining 24-kilometre corridor to Talwara—half of which is elevated—is only partially constructed. A critical 2.5 to 3-kilometre stretch near Talwara remains inaccessible due to pending land acquisition. Officials in the railway ministry acknowledge the delay and confirm that the land required—71 hectares—is still under negotiation. Simultaneously, the environment ministry is yet to approve forest clearances essential for earth extraction. The prolonged approvals have not only disrupted project timelines but also eroded local confidence in its completion.
For residents of Talwara, the railway is more than just a mode of transport; it symbolises a long-overdue promise of integration with the broader economic landscape. Generations have grown up listening to tales of the “incoming train” that never arrived. Community members recall demarcation work and pillar installations from the 1980s, with hopes rekindled each time a new government reviews the project. Equity concerns further cloud the situation. Landowners in Punjab allege that compensation packages were significantly lower than those in neighbouring Himachal Pradesh. In some cases, the disparity is reported to be more than tenfold. Several affected residents have either refused to accept payments or are pursuing legal remedies to demand fair market value or land pooling alternatives.
Currently, three major infrastructure firms are executing different segments of the project. While construction firms report ongoing work, local discontent has persisted due to lack of transparency and the absence of tangible benefits. Many villagers in the Talwara region remain sceptical, despite renewed assurances from central authorities. The project is now under the Prime Minister’s direct oversight through the PRAGATI platform, a centralised monitoring system for critical infrastructure works. In the latest monthly review, the Prime Minister warned departments against further delays, citing not only cost overruns but also the social cost of delayed public infrastructure.
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