Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project Completion Urged

The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project was among the rail priorities discussed as Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami urged the Railways to complete it within the stipulated timeline.

Dhami reviewed railway infrastructure priorities with Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar after meeting a Railway Board delegation led by Kumar⁠ on Friday at the Chief Minister’s residence. The talks covered rail infrastructure expansion in Uttarakhand, the status of ongoing projects, and the state’s future railway requirements.

Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project timeline

A press release issued by the Chief Minister’s Office said Dhami underlined that stronger Uttarakhand railway connectivity would give a significant boost to the state’s overall development, tourism, pilgrimage, investment, and local economy. He described the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project⁠ as one of the state’s most ambitious and strategically important railway schemes and stressed that it should be completed on schedule.

According to the release, Dhami said the project would make travel more convenient, safer, and more modern for pilgrims and tourists visiting the Char Dham shrines, particularly Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath.

Official railway information describes the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag new rail line as a 125 km sanctioned project for Chardham connectivity. Its alignment passes through Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts and is intended to connect Devprayag and Karnaprayag religious and tourist destinations with Rishikesh and the National Capital of India. The same railway update says the line predominantly passes through tunnels and involves 16 main-line tunnels, 12 escape tunnels and 19 important or major bridges. (pib.gov.in⁠)

The meeting also included detailed discussion of the Tanakpur-Bageshwar Rail Project. Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar informed the Chief Minister that the survey and Detailed Project Report⁠ for the project had already been completed.

Dhami said he hoped substantial progress on the Tanakpur-Bageshwar project would be visible by November 2026. He also asked the Railways to move forward with the Karnaprayag-Bageshwar and Kichha-Khatima rail line projects, citing their importance for future requirements and balanced regional development.

Station facilities and future rail lines

The Chief Minister also pointed to the growing potential of pilgrimage and tourism in Uttarakhand and said railway stations in the state should be equipped with modern facilities. He identified Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Roorkee in the Garhwal region, along with Haldwani, Kathgodam, Ramnagar, and Tanakpur in the Kumaon region, as key gateways to the state. He called for expanded passenger amenities and modern infrastructure at these stations.

In view of the upcoming Kumbh and Kanwar Mela, Dhami also stressed the need for special facilities at Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Roorkee railway stations to handle the growing number of pilgrims and passengers. He said coordination between the Railways and the state government would help provide safer, smoother, and more comfortable travel.

Dhami further raised the need for effective steps toward doubling the Haridwar-Dehradun railway line. He said expansion and modernisation of the rail network would create new opportunities for investment, trade, tourism, and employment, while giving long-term strength to Uttarakhand’s economy, the release noted.

Satish Kumar said the matters discussed during the meeting would be taken up with due seriousness and that necessary action would be pursued.