70% of Rishikesh-Karanprayag Rail project over, Dhami govt looks for another all-hill rail line project

With more than 70 per cent of the Rishikesh-Karanprayag rail project over, the Uttarakhand’s Pushkar Singh Dhami government is now looking for another hill-centric rail project between Karnaprayag and Bageshwar. CM Dhami said he would take up the matter with the Centre to declare it as a national project.

Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday asked his officials to hammer out a proposal and feasibility action plan for the extended Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project as Karnaprayag-Bageshwar rail link connecting Garhwal and Kumaon hill areas. “Possibility of extending the rail line from Karnaprayag to Bageshwar must be explored and worked out to link hill areas of the two ranges in the state,” he instructed the state officials in a review meeting of under-construction and proposed rail projects in the state on Wednesday.

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Dhami said, “Apart from proposals for Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line possibilities for other alternate routes under this project must be worked out along with focus on connecting Almora and Someshwar regions to benefit the majority area and the people in the both Kumaon and Garhwal regions. The Chief Minister assured that he will request the centre for granting nod to Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail link project as a national project to accelerate the construction work.
Officials in the meeting informed on behalf of the Railways that more than 70 per cent work of the Rishikesh-Karanprayag rail line project, including 95 per cent tunnel construction works of the total 125 kilometers, is completed. They said 28 tunnels are being constructed under this project. These include 16 main and 12 escape tunnels.
The officials added that names of the railway stations in the Rishikesh-Karanprayag rail project are based on the themes of the state’s spiritual places, cultural tradition and patriotic figures. Shivpuri station ahead of Rishikesh will showcase the blessings of Neelkanth Mahadev, Byasi is for Maharishi Ved Vyas, Devprayag is backed by the theme of Samudra Manthan, Janasu will exhibit Uttarakhand culture, Maletha will showcase the determination and grit Veer Madho Singh Bhandari, Srinagar will document the spiritual aura of Raj Rajeshwari Devi while Dhari Devi is named after Deity Dhari Devi.