Mumbai, June 26 -- Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Railway Board chairman Satish Kumar at the chief minister's residence in Dehradun to review rail infrastructure and ongoing projects across the state. The meeting focused on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project, which the chief minister described as one of the state's most ambitious and strategically important initiatives and urged its completion within the stipulated timeline to improve travel for pilgrims and tourists to Char Dham shrines, including Shri Badrinath and Shri Kedarnath. Officials also discussed the Tanakpur-Bageshwar line, for which the chairman indicated that the survey and detailed project report have been completed.
The chief minister expressed hope that substantial progress would be visible by November 2026 and asked the Railways to advance the Karnaprayag-Bageshwar and Kichha-Khatima linkages to meet future demand and promote balanced regional development. He highlighted major gateway stations in Garhwal and Kumaon, saying Dehradun, Haridwar, Rishikesh, Roorkee, Haldwani, Kathgodam, Ramnagar and Tanakpur need upgraded passenger amenities and modern infrastructure. The need to equip stations with contemporary facilities was linked to the growing potential of pilgrimage, tourism and investment in Uttarakhand.
As the Kumbh and the Kanwar Mela approach, the meeting emphasised developing special facilities at Haridwar, Rishikesh, and Roorkee stations to accommodate rising pilgrim numbers and ensure safer, smoother movement. The chief minister underlined coordinated action between the state and the Railways to deliver a more comfortable travel experience and to manage large seasonal flows efficiently. He also called for efforts towards doubling the Haridwar-Dehradun line as part of broader expansion and modernisation aimed at creating investment, trade, tourism and employment opportunities.
The Railway Board chairman acknowledged the points raised and conveyed that the issues discussed would be taken up earnestly and necessary action would be pursued. The delegation-level discussion reinforced the state government's emphasis on rail connectivity as a key driver of economic growth and regional access. The interaction was presented in a Chief Minister's Office (CMO) press release summarising the meeting and its outcomes.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.