CM urges Rail minister to close old Rishikesh station, hand over land to State
PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami appealed to the Union minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw to close the old Rishikesh railway station and transfer its land to the State government. He met Vaishnaw in New Delhi on Thursday and they are learnt to have discussed matters related to strengthening railway infrastructure in Uttarakhand, expanding rail connectivity and implementing important railway projects.
CM emphasised that millions of devotees and tourists from India and abroad visit the State each year for the Char Dham Yatra and for yoga as part of spiritual tourism. He also mentioned that pilgrims in the thousands arrive in Haridwar and Rishikesh as well as Kainchi Dham and Jageshwar Dham. He further apprised the Railways minister of the expected mammoth turnout during the upcoming Ardh Kumbh Mela slated in Haridwar. He pointed out to the Union minister that the State needs a modern, robust and convenient rail network to ensure smooth travel of the tourists and pilgrims and it would also give a fillip to the tourism activities in the State.
Dhami highlighted that a significant number of Uttarakhand natives live in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai and travel frequently to and from their home State. Currently, the number and frequency of train services from Mumbai to Haridwar and Ramnagar are insufficient to meet the surging passenger demand, he told the Union minister and requested him to introduce a Vande Bharat or Superfast Express service between Mumbai and Dehradun, as well as increased frequency of the Mumbai-Haridwar and Mumbai-Ramnagar train services. Additionally, he sought extension of the Dehradun-Kota rail service to Surat, Vadodara, and Mumbai, along with regular operation of Ramnagar-Mumbai and Haridwar-Mumbai rail services at least three days a week.
The CM further requested Vaishnaw to take initiative so that the Centre bears the entire cost of the Kichha-Sitarganj-Khatima new railway line project. He also drew his attention to the urgency of commencement of the Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway project.
Additionally, Dhami stressed on the speedy completion of the pending work on the doubling of Haridwar-Dehradun railway line from Raiwala to Dehradun, along with the beautification and expansion of Haridwar, Harrawala, Dehradun, Khatima, Laksar, Roorkee, Tanakpur and Banbasa railway stations.
