Rishikesh–Karnaprayag line

The Rishikesh–Karnaprayag line is an under-construction railway line, which will run from Yog Nagari Rishikesh railway station in Rishikesh to Karnaprayag. It is Indian Railways' proposed route for the Char Dham Railway to connect the Char Dham pilgrimage of Uttarakhand. The line is also part of an Indian geostrategic initiative to build infrastructure along the India-China border to discourage Chinese expansion.[1][2] The project is considered to be of national strategic importance and is being tracked on the Central Government’s PRAGATI (Pro Active Governance and Timely Implementation) portal. When ready, it will help improve connectivity to the Char Dham shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath and Kedarnath in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand.

Rishikesh–Karnaprayag line
Overview
StatusUnder construction
OwnerRail Vikas Nigam
LocaleUttarakhand
Termini
Stations12
Websitehttp://www.indianrailways.gov.in
Service
SystemBroad gauge
ServicesSingle track
Operator(s)Indian Railways
Technical
Line length126 km (78 mi)
Track length126 km (78 mi)
Track gauge1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in)
Minimum radius440 m (1,440 ft)
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC OHE
Operating speed100 km/h (62 mph)
Highest elevation1,451 m (4,760 ft)
Route map
0
 Karnaprayag
9
 Ghauchar
15
 Gholtir
28
 Rudraprayag
37
 Dhari
51
 Srinagar Garhwal
56
 Kirtinagar
78
 Devaprayag
93
 Sakni
105
 Manjilgaon
112
 Shivpuri
 Chandrabhaga River
130
 Yog Nagari Rishikesh
 to Laksar–Dehradun line

Project

Satpal Maharaj began a survey for the project as Minister of Railways of Uttarakhand in 1996.[3][4][5] The project received funding and other authorisations from the government; it was reportedly India's longest tunnel-rail project, which would play a vital role in national security and the welfare of Uttarakhand.[6]

The line will serve pilgrims and local residents, and will be able to rapidly move troops to the India-China border.[7] The project's foundation stone was scheduled to be laid by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on 9 November 2011. [8] Alignment of the 126-kilometer-long railway project was completed in 2013,[9] but the project was delayed by political wrangling.[10] The work began finally in 2015 under the leadership of National Democratic Alliance.

Route

The Rishikesh railway station (RKSH) is in the city, and the railway line could not be extended through densely-populated areas. A rail line was built from the Virbhadra station to the new Yog Nagari Rishikesh railway station (YNRK), built in 2020. The Rishikesh–Karnaprayag route begins at Yog Nagari Rishikesh (385 m AMSL) and ends at Karnaprayag (825 m AMSL).[11] The ₹16,200 crore project will reduce travel time between Rishikesh and Karnaprayag from 6-7 hours to 2+1⁄2 hours. It was planned to cross 16 bridges, and 105 km (85 percent) will run through tunnels. A 15.1-km tunnel, reportedly India's longest, will be built between Devprayag and Lachmoli.[11]

According to a letter to the Uttarakhand government from RVNL, stations will include Yog Nagari Rishikesh in Rishikesh, Dehradun district, Srinagar, Tehri, Shivpuri and Byasi in Tehri district, Devprayag and Dungripanth (Dhari devi) in Pauri, Rudraprayag and Gholtir in Rudraprayag district, and Gaucher and Karanprayag in Chamoli district. The line will have 12 stations, 17 tunnels and 35 bridges, and is expected to be completed by 2024-25.

Status

Design contracts for tunnel and bridge construction were awarded in 2019. Italferr, the engineering arm of FS Italiane Group, received the contract for the design and supervision of the 12-km-long section (running almost entirely through tunnels) of the Himalaya Tunnel as part of a joint venture with Swiss firm Lombardi SA.[12] That construction began in 2019. Work on the first block section, from the Virbhadra railway station to Yog Nagari Rishikesh, began in June 2018 and was completed in 2020.

See also

References
  1. Dangwal, Sandhya (12 May 2017). "Chardham to get rail connectivity; Indian Railways pilgrimage linking project to cost Rs 43.29 crore". India.com. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  2. "Railway minister lays foundation stone for final location survey on char dham route". The Times of India. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  3. "Railway Ministers". IRFCA. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  4. "Several Rail Projects Yet To Take Off in State".
  5. "Rishikesh Karnprayag Project". Tribune India. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  6. "Coming soon: India's longest railway tunnel on Rishikesh-Karnprayag route". Hindustan Times. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  7. "Rishikesh-Karanprayag rail line priority project: MP". Tribune India. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  8. "Work on Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line to commence soon: Satpal Maharaj". meri news. Retrieved 6 April 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. "Alignment plan finalized for Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line". Zee News. 14 September 2013. Retrieved 6 April 2016. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. Prashant, Shishir (14 March 2014). "Rail project caught in unsavory political controversy". Business Standard India. business-standard. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
  11. "Coming soon: India's longest railway tunnel on Rishikesh–Karnaprayag route". Hindustan Times. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2017.
  12. "Italferr is awarded a new contract in India". www.italferr.it. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
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