PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE | Dehradun
Work on the Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line could start soon with the Centre seeking the formal approval of the State for starting work on the project. The State government is going to send an official letter in this regard to the Central government soon, officials said.
The proposed Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line is being viewed as a game changer project for expansion of the rail network in the Kumaon region. The final survey for the 170-kilometre rail line has been completed. The next phase will entail discussion with the State government. The Central government has sought formal approval from the State government before starting work on this project.
Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed the chief secretary Anand Bardhan to expedite official formalities for this project.Dhami said that all the official formalities are being expedited for start of the work on the Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line. Similarly, the final detailed project report is also being prepared for the Rishikesh-Uttarkashi and Dehradun-Saharanpur rail lines. The Centre is providing its full support for strengthening the rail network in Uttarakhand, the CM added.
It is pertinent to mention here that another major rail project, the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail line is expected to be ready by 2026. This will not only introduce rail services in the mountain districts of the State but also prove to be of strategic importance. In the future, the government is aiming to provide rail connections to two major cities in the mountains- Karnprayag in Garhwal and Bageshwar in Kumaon.
On the request of the State government, the Centre is also preparing the DPRs for Rishikesh-Uttarkashi and Dehradun-Saharanpur rail lines. The 81-kilometre long proposed Dehradun-Saharanpur rail line will pass through the Shakumbhari Devi temple area. This rail line will be laid from Saharanpur to the Harrawala railway station in Dehradun and will also include an 11-kilometre long tunnel.
