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{{short description|Status of transportation infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh, India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2017}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2017}}

'''Transport in [[Himachal Pradesh]]''' consists primarily of a road network run by the state, though railways and airways serve very limited transport needs. The geography of Himachal presents a considerable challenge to the development of transport infrastructure, though it has the highest road density among all the [[Hill States of India]]. Himachal also has 3 airports, 2 narrow gauge rail tracks and other under-construction broad gauge railway tracks, but roads remain the main mode of transport.

==History and development==

[[Kinnaur]] was opened up in the early 1960s with the completion of the [[Hindustan-Tibet Road|NH-5 Hindustan-Tibet National highway]] from Ferozepur in Punjab to [[Shipki La]]. [[Lahaul]] was opened up in the late 1960s with the construction of roads over [[Rohtang pass]]. Lahaul is reachable via roads through high passes, such as [[Rohtang]] (3,967 m, 13,050 ft), [[Kunzum]] (4,600 m, 14,913 ft) and [[Baralacha]] (4,900 m, 16000 ft). The building an efficient transport system was the top most priority in the first ''Five year plan''. In January 1991, [[Himachal]] was linked up with the broad gauge system by extending the ''Delhi-Nangal'' rail line.

==Geography==

The geography of Himachal presents considerable difficulty to the development of transport infrastructure. The border districts, located near the borders of [[Tibet]] and Indian union territories of [[Ladakh]] and [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]], such as [[Kinnaur]], [[Lahaul]], [[Spiti]] and the ''[[Pangi, Himachal Pradesh|Pangi]]'' and ''Bharmour'' tehsils of [[Chamba district|Chamba]] districts are the major underdeveloped and underserved tribal areas of the state. Other underdeveloped areas include Shillai in [[Sirmaur district]], and deep cut-off valleys in the [[Kullu]] and upper stretches of [[Kangra, Himachal Pradesh|Kangra]] districts. [[Spiti]] is a cold desert and underdeveloped area. Due to poor accessibility, life in these areas had grown in isolation.

==Roads==
[[File:India-hp-bus above manali.jpg|thumb|210px| [[Himachal Road Transport Corporation]] bus outside of Manali.]]

The government-owned Himachal Road Transport Corporation runs a good all-weather network of buses inter & intra state including the remotest of the corners of the state. Himachal Pradesh being a major tourist destination, there is no shortage of private buses and taxis.<ref name="Hamirpur-rd">{{cite web
| url = http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020518/himachal.htm
| title = Hamirpur road density
| access-date = 2007-05-22
| publisher = Hari Jaisingh, Published from The Tribune House
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110408082605/http://www.tribuneindia.com/2002/20020518/himachal.htm |archive-date = 2011-04-08| url-status=live}}</ref><br />

Most tourist spots in [[Himachal Pradesh]] such as [[Shimla]], [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]], [[Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh|Dharamsala]] etc. are well connected by roads. Some of the roads in Himachal are seasonal and get closed during winters and monsoons due to heavy snowfall, landslides and washouts.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21360839~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html | title= India: Himachal Pradesh State Roads Project | publisher= [[World Bank]]| access-date=2007-06-12| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110612013935/http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21360839~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html | archive-date = 2011-06-12| url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.huliq.com/23772/world-bank-to-support-road-network-improvements-in-himachal-pradesh-india | title = World Bank to Support Road Network Improvements in Himachal Pradesh, India | access-date=2007-06-12| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120206004702/http://www.huliq.com/23772/world-bank-to-support-road-network-improvements-in-himachal-pradesh-india | archive-date = 2012-02-06| url-status=live}}</ref>

* National Highways (NH) with total 1235 km length in Himachal are:
** [[National Highway 1A (India)|NH 1A]] touches Shahpur.
** [[NH 20]] passes through [[Pathankot]], Chakki, [[Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh|Nurpur]], [[Joginder Nagar]], [[Palampur]] and [[Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India|Mandi]].
** [[NH 21]] connects [[Chandigarh]] with [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]] through [[Mandi, Himachal Pradesh|Mandi]].
** [[NH 22]] connects [[Ambala]] with Kaurik through [[Kalka]], [[Shimla|Simla]] and [[Wangtoo]].
** [[NH 70]] passes through [[Mubarakpur, Azamghar|Mubarakpur]], [[Amb, India|Amb]], [[Nadaun]] and [[Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh|Hamirpur]].
** [[NH 21A]] begins at [[Pinjore]] in [[Haryana]], passes through [[Nalagarh]] and reaches Swarghat, where it connects with [[NH 21]].
** [[National Highway 88 (India)|NH 88]] connects [[Shimla|Simla]] with [[Kangra, Himachal Pradesh|Kangra]] through [[Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh|Hamirpur]] and [[Nadaun]].
** [[NH 72]] begins at [[Ambala]] and passes through [[Amb, India|Amb]] and [[Paunta Sahib]] in [[Himachal Pradesh]] before terminating at [[Haridwar]] in [[Uttarakhand]].

* Tunnels: The state boasts some of the longest road tunnels in the country:
** [[Atal tunnel]]: 8.8 km long, year round link between [[Manali, Himachal Pradesh|Manali]] and [[Lahaul Valley]] which otherwise use to remain isolated during 8 month long winter period.
** Aut tunnel: 3 km long on [[NH-21]] in [[Mandi, Himachal Pradesh|Mandi]].

* Other roads are:
** [[List of state highways in Himachal Pradesh]]
** [[List of major district roads in Himachal Pradesh]]

* Other roads & vehicle related infra is:
** [[List of RTO districts in India#HP—Himachal Pradesh|List of RTO districts in Himachal Pradesh]]

==Railway==
{{see also | Jammu railway division#Network | l1= Railway in Himachal, Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh | Future_of_rail_transport_in_India#Geostrategic_border_rail_lines | l2 = Geostrategic border rail lines of India | Uttarakhand_Transport_Corporation#Transport_in_Uttarakhand | l3= Transport in Uttarakhand }}
[[File:KSR Diesel Locomotive 148 at Kalka 05-02-12 12.jpeg|250px|thumb|KSR diesel locomotive 148 at Kalka.]]

* Narrow-gauge: [[Mountain railways of India]], listed west to east.

** [[Kalka-Shimla Railway]] [[World Heritage Sites|UNESCO Heritage]] listed track, 96 kilometers, passes through 102 tunnels and crosses 864 bridges.<ref>{{cite book| last = Hughes| first = Hugh| title = Indian Locomotives Narrow gauge, 1863-1940| year = 1994| isbn = 978-0-9521655-0-7 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://india.mapsofindia.com/transportation/special-trains/kalka-shimla-railway.html|title=MapsOfIndia article on Kalka-Shimla Railway|access-date=2007-03-13| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726115104/http://india.mapsofindia.com/transportation/special-trains/kalka-shimla-railway.html | archive-date = 2011-07-26| url-status=live}}</ref>

** [[Kangra Valley Railway]], tentative UNESCO Heritage list, 164 km (101.9 mi), from [[Pathankot]] in [[Punjab (india)|Punjab]] to [[Jogindernagar]] in Himachal.

* Broad gauge, listed north to south.

** [[Jammu_railway_division#PLL|Pathankot-Leh line]], DPR was being prepared as of June 2025.<ref name=surf1>[https://kashmirdespatch.com/lg-sinha-lauds-indian-railways-for-connecting-kashmir-to-national-grid/ LG Sinha lauds Indian Railways for connecting Kashmir to national grid], Kashmir Despatch, 6 Jan 2025.</ref>

** [[Bhanupli–Leh line]] to Ladakh, 489 km, under-construction.<ref name=himr1/>

** Una–Hamirpur line: 54.1 km long project connecting [[Tourism_in_Himachal_Pradesh#Religious_tourism|Religious Devi Circuit]] such as [[Jwalamukhi temple, Himachal Pradesh|Maa Jwala Mukhi]] and [[Chintpurni|Maa Chintpurni]], and costing Rs. 5,821.47 crore (50-50 cost split between Himachal and Union governments) was approved in 2017-18 with DPR and FSL already complete and no target completion date as of March 2026.<ref name=himr1>[https://rtdchp.org/railways Railways in Himachal], rtdchp.org, accessed 30 Mar 2025.</ref>

** [[Nangal]]-[[Una, Himachal Pradesh|Una]]-Talwara line along Himachal-Punjab border, 90 km long, Nangal-Una-Daulatpur Chowk is complete but 23 km Daulatpur Chowk-Talwara section is under-construction<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/himachal/himachal-express-to-run-between-delhi-daulatpur-chowk/714431.html|title = The Tribune article on Himachal Express train | access-date=2019-01-16}}</ref> with revised target completion of December 2027 (April 2026 update). Una is connected to [[New Delhi]] by [[Jan Shatabdi Express]] and [[Himachal Express]].

** Chandigarh-Baddi line along Himachal-Haryana border, 33.2 km long from [[Chandi Mandir]] to [[Baddi]], costing ₹1,672.70 crore,<ref name=himr1/> had target completion date of 2027 (March 2026 update).

==Air==

The airports in Himachal Pradesh are:
# [[Shimla Airport]] near Shimla,
# [[Gaggal Airport]] near [[Kangra, Himachal Pradesh|Kangra]]
# [[Bhuntar|Bhuntar Airport]] near Kullu.

All these airports have runways shorter than 5000 ft and therefore only allow the operation of smaller aircraft such as the [[De Havilland Canada Dash 8|Bombardier Dash 8]], 42 seater [[ATR 42|ATR]] & 70 seater [[ATR 72|ATR]].

==See also==
* [[India–China Border Roads]]
* [[Future_of_rail_transport_in_India#Geo|Strategic rail lines of India]]
* [[Jammu and Kashmir State Road Transport Corporation|Transport in Jammu and Kashmir]]
* [[Transport in Haryana]]
* [[Transport in Ladakh]]
* [[Transport in Sikkim]]
* [[Transport in Uttarakhand]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
[[File:HRTC Bus.JPG|thumb|210px| [[Himachal Road Transport Corporation]] HRTC Bus at Shimla Bus Stand]]
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031104/himachal.htm#1 The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Himachal Pradesh]
* [http://www.shimla-travel.com/shimla_railway.shtml Shimla Travel Guide:: Kalka-Shimla Railway]
* [http://hill-stations-india.com/hill-trains-india/kalka-shimla-railway.html Kalka Shimla Trains, Kalka Shimla Railway, Hills Toy Train in India]
* [http://www.pearcedale.com/c&b/DL.html#indi Thirty inch lines D to L]
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2003/20031108/windows/main1.htm Article in The Tribune]

{{Economy HP}}
{{Transport in India}}

[[Category:Transport in Himachal Pradesh| ]]
[[Category:Economy of Himachal Pradesh]]

Transport in Himachal Pradesh - Revision history

SabinaGuffey: Adding a entry more to come