DEHRADUN: In a move to facilitate the Char Dham Yatra, officials have announced plans to expand the under-construction Karnprayag railway station as part of the ongoing Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line project.
“Given the strategic importance of the area, this expansion is essential for military operations and other activities,” said a Railway Development Corporation official. The expansion of the station aims to make the pilgrimage more accessible and convenient.
“We will increase the number of railway tracks from 22 to 26 at this station. Tenders worth Rs 611 crore have already been issued for this additional work, and construction will commence soon,” said OP Malgudi, DGM of the Railway Development Corporation.
According to railway sources, the Karnprayag station was initially planned to have 22 tracks. “Now the number of tracks has now increased to 26. Four additional tracks will be constructed, all of which will be located inside two tunnels. To facilitate this, the construction of two tunnels is set to take place. Furthermore, a road tunnel will also be built for unloading goods, connecting both tunnels,” said an official said associated with the project.
The Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway project features three major stations: Karnprayag, Yog Nagari, and Srinagar. “Karnprayag railway station, which will encompass 26 tracks, will include four passenger platforms and one goods platform,” the official said.
Yog Nagari station has 18 tracks and three passenger platforms. Srinagar station has five tracks, along with four passenger platforms and one goods platform. “Other railway stations in the region typically have only two or three tracks,” the official added, highlighting the scale of the major stations in this ambitious project.
According to sources, the Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line will feature a total of 13 stations. “The construction of the Veerbhadra and Yog Nagari railway stations has been completed,” another official said.
Trains are currently operational up to Yog Nagari railway station. In addition to these, stations will also be established at Shivpuri, Byasi, Devprayag, Janasu, Maletha, Srinagar, Dhari Devi, Tilani, Gholtir, Gauchar, and Sinvai (Karnprayag).
The first phase of the long-awaited Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project will be completed by the end of 2026, CM Pushkar Singh Dhami had earlier said.