Thursday, 25 July 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Uttarakhand has secured an allocation of Rs 5,131 crore for various railway projects in the Railway budget-2024-25. This was stated by Railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during a virtual press conference held by the Press Information Bureau (PIB) Dehradun on Wednesday. During his interaction with the media, Vaishnaw highlighted the record-breaking allocation of Rs 2,62,000 crore for the Indian Railways in this year’s budget. Out of this, Uttarakhand will receive Rs 5,131 crore which will be utilised for strengthening the State’s rail network. He said that a significant focus of the budget allocation is the ambitious Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line project.
This project is crucial for enhancing connectivity to the Char Dham pilgrimage sites. Spanning 213 kilometres, the work of 171 kilometres of tunnelling has already been completed. Since the remaining tunnelling work is progressing rapidly, the whole project is expected to be completed by mid 2026. Vaishnaw also stated that the tunnels are being constructed using the Himalayan Tunnelling Method (HTM) to ensure stability in the young and fragile Himalayan terrain of Uttarakhand. The HTM allows for balanced and secure tunnelling, addressing the challenges posed by the predominance of soil in the young Himalayan mountains.
The tunnels are reinforced with concrete to enhance their safety and durability. He also shared updates on other ongoing rail projects in Uttarakhand that include the railway lines of Bageshwar-Tanakpur, Bageshwar-Gairsain, Rishikesh-Uttarkashi and Saharanpur rail line. He said that the detailed project reports for these projects are in various stages of completion and the Ministry will share updates as they progress. He also said that currently, three rail projects are underway worth Rs 25,941 crore in the State. Besides this, eleven stations including Dehradun, Haridwar and Kathgodam among others will also be developed as Amrit stations which will enhance the State’s rail infrastructure and passenger amenities.
