DEHRADUN: In view of the increasing number of pilgrims on the Chardham Yatra every year and the challenging routes in the hilly region, the state government has sent a proposal to the Centre for a single tunnel project to connect Dehradun to Yamunotri and Gangotri by rail and road.
According to information received from departmental sources, after survey and technical investigation, the final DPR of about Rs 29,000 crore for the 121.76 km long railway has been sent to the Railway Board Delhi. Of this, 70 per cent of the track will be inside tunnels. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has planned to connect Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham with a rail line.
Public Works Department Secretary Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey said, “Both the projects are related to the transport facility of the common man. With the central government spending money on both projects, the idea came that the two projects could be completed jointly,” he said, adding, “It would also save money and cause less damage to the environment.”
In the coming days, the Railway Board and the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways can take a concrete decision in this regard.
According to Public Works Department Secretary Dr Pandey, “This tunnel is proposed to start from Ranipokhari to Koti Colony (Tehri) near the lake, whose total length will be about 35 km. The NHAI has started an exercise to connect it with the railway project so that it does not have to construct a separate tunnel.”
“Under this, a letter was written to the Railway Board at the government level asking them to share this idea and share the data of the related project, which has been accepted by the Railway Board,” Dr Pandey said.
According to government sources, “The Dhami government has started its exercise on a war footing, and at the same time, the Railway Board has agreed to share the data related to the project on the proposal of the state government.”
Work on the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail project is already in full swing in the state. Apart from this, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has planned to connect Gangotri and Yamunotri Dham with the rail line.
Om Prakash Malgudi, Senior Project Manager, Rail Vikas Nigam, said, “A request letter was received from the Uttarakhand government to share data related to the project. There are some formalities, which are being completed. The data will be shared within a week. This includes satellite mapping, geophysical surveys, and digitization model studies.”
Speaking to this daily, Tourism and Cultural Development Minister Satpal Maharaj told this reporter, “The purpose of providing the rail link between Rishikesh and Karnprayag is to provide easy access to the pilgrimage centre located in the state of Uttarakhand, connect new trade hubs, develop backward areas and serve the locals.”
“With the operation of rail and road traffic through a single tunnel, lakhs of devotees will get the benefit of safe journey as well as time-bound pilgrimage,” Maharaj added.