Construction Begins on Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Link in Uttarakhand.

The Ministry of Railways is transforming rail connectivity in Uttarakhand with the ambitious 125-kilometre Rishikesh-Karnaprayag New Broad Gauge Line, a project that officials describe as a “reimagining” of rail travel in the region.

The route, stretching over 125.20 km, presents significant engineering challenges, with 83.07% of it passing through tunnels. A total of 16 main tunnels covering 104 km and 12 escape tunnels spanning 97.72 km are under construction, along with 7.05 km of cross-passages. The longest tunnel alone measures 14.58 km, highlighting the difficult Himalayan terrain the project navigates.

The rail line also features 14 rail bridges, including five classified as important or major. The bridges together extend 3,076 meters, with the tallest, Gauchar Bridge (Br-15), reaching 46.99 meters. The Srinagar Bridge (Br-09) has a maximum length of 489 meters, while Devprayag Bridge (Br-06) boasts the longest span of 125 meters.

In addition, six road bridges, two road overbridges, and 38 minor bridges are being constructed to ensure seamless multimodal connectivity. Twelve new stations are planned along the route, enhancing access and boosting economic prospects in the region.

The project also incorporates 18.43 km of open-cuttings and embankments, accounting for 14.72% of the line, designed to adapt to the area’s challenging topography.

To date, the Ministry of Railways has completed 201 km of tunnel work out of a total of 213 km. Once operational, the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail link will provide seamless access to Karnaprayag and strengthen rail connectivity across five key districts in Uttarakhand.