Dehradun: Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan held an important meeting with Railway Board Chairman Satish Kumar on Friday to discuss various railway projects in Uttarakhand. During the meeting, it was informed that the long-awaited Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Rail Line Project is targeted for completion by December 2028.
The Chief Secretary requested early approval of the final Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Rishikesh–Uttarkashi Rail Line Project. He also urged that the project be declared a National Project so that its entire cost can be borne by the Central Government.
Discussing the doubling of the Haridwar–Dehradun railway line, the Railway Board Chairman stated that approval has already been granted for the Haridwar–Motichur–Raiwala section. The project will be implemented in two phases, with the first phase covering the double-tracking between Haridwar and Motichur. He noted that encroachment remains a major challenge, to which the Chief Secretary assured full cooperation from the state government.
At the request of the Uttarakhand Government, the Railway Board has directed the Divisional Railway Manager of Northern Railway to conduct a survey for doubling the rail line from Raiwala to Dehradun. The Chief Secretary requested that the survey be completed in coordination with the state government before the 2033 Kumbh Mela. He also sought the construction of a railway viaduct at Raiwala to facilitate smooth crowd movement during the event.
The meeting also proposed making escape tunnels in all under-construction railway projects motorable. Additionally, the state requested early approval of the DPR for the Tanakpur–Bageshwar Rail Line Project.
The proposed RRTS Meerut–Rishikesh Corridor was also discussed. In-principle approval was given for preparing a DPR for the proposed 78-kilometre corridor via Haridwar, with the final station planned near Lakshman Jhula. The Uttarakhand Government has appointed Reena Joshi as the nodal officer for the project.
The Railway Board Chairman further informed that Dehradun Railway Station is being developed as a model station, while plans are underway to modernize Harrawala Railway Station to meet requirements for the next 25 years.
The Chief Secretary also requested the Railways to prepare long-term, medium-term, and short-term action plans in view of the expected heavy rush during the upcoming Kumbh Mela.
