Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Wednesday found fault with Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee for not approving railway lines to match China's in the border region.

"China has constructed a railway line from Beijing to Lahsa and is expanding rail and road network towards India. On the other hand, India is ignoring the construction of the Manali-Leh line of strategic importance. This is unfortunate," he said in a statement.

He said the minister had not included the 460-km Bhanupali-Manali-Leh rail line in her budget proposal presented in parliament Wednesday.

Dhumal said: "The budget is disappointing. The central government has again ignored the interests of the people of the state."

The Nangal-Talwara rail line, on which work started a long back, had also been ignored though Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised to complete it by 2008, he said.

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