“I had taken up the matter with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during my recent visit to Delhi and he had sought some papers relating to communication made by the state Government with the Centre. We have sent the papers. I have also discussed the matter with the Defence Minister, the Railway Minister and the Planning Commission chairman,” said Dhumal. He was here to lay the foundation stone of Sri Sai University.

The extension of the railway line is necessary from the strategic point of view, Dhumal said, adding that its upgrade should be a priority for the Union Government. He said Chief of the Army Staff General Deepak Kapoor had also supported his viewpoint when they met recently.

The pre-feasibility report for the railway line had been conducted by the Railway Board and the report was with the Centre, Dhumal said. “A private company — ICC Holdings — has also come forward and given its proposal to the Centre for laying the railway line,” added Dhumal.

The CM also expressed concern over the delay in the boring of the Rohtang Tunnel. “The foundation stone of the tunnel was laid by the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee in 2002 but there has been no progress since then,” he said.

Earlier, Dhumal, who was accompanied by a number of his ministerial colleagues, besides Rajya Sabha member and BJP’s national vice-president Shanta Kumar, laid the foundation stone of Sri Sai University at Padhiyarkhar near Palampur. The university would be set up at a cost of Rs 100 crore in five years.

It will have degree courses in six engineering disciplines — civil, mechanical, information technology, electronics and communication, computer science and computer engineering. Three degree courses each in the field of pharmacy and management will also be started later, besides post-graduate courses in basic applied sciences and education.