Uttarakhand Rail Project: Major Tunnel & Bridge Work Completed

Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has announced significant progress on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line project in Uttarakhand. Of the 16 mainline tunnels, nine have been completed, along with eight major bridges.

The 125-km rail line will connect Rishikesh to Karnaprayag, passing through Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli districts. Designed to enhance connectivity to religious and tourist destinations, it will facilitate smoother travel to the Char Dham. With 84% of the route running through tunnels, the project includes 16 mainline tunnels (105 km) and 12 escape tunnels (98 km).

Additionally, eight adits—auxiliary openings used to accelerate excavation—have been completed. The longest tunnel, T8, will span 14.59 km, making it the longest railway tunnel in India. A Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) has been deployed to ensure efficient construction with minimal ecological impact. The project also includes 19 major bridges, with eight already completed. "Work on the remaining bridges is underway," the Minister stated.

Twelve new railway stations are being developed at Yognagari Rishikesh, Shivpuri, Byasi, Devprayag, Janasu, Maletha, Ranihat Naithan (Srinagar), Dhari Devi, Tilani, Gholtir, Gauchar, and Karnaprayag.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.