Executive Summary:
This document summarizes the Indian Railway Ministry's response to questions regarding railway expansion, particularly in Uttarakhand. It outlines the criteria for sanctioning railway projects, details the surveys and projects sanctioned nationally and in Uttarakhand, and provides updates on key projects like the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line and the proposed Char Dham connectivity. The document reports data up to March 2025 and FY 2025-26.
Key Points / Main Content:
General Railway Expansion:
Railway projects are sanctioned zone-wise, based on factors like remunerativeness, traffic projections, connectivity, and socio-economic considerations.
During FY 2022-23 to 2025-26, 892 surveys covering 61,462 km were sanctioned across India.
As of April 1, 2025, 431 railway infrastructure projects (total length 35,966 Km, costing approx. 6.75 lakh crore) are sanctioned, with 12,769 km commissioned and approx. 2.91 lakh crore spent up to March 2025.
Uttarakhand Railway Projects:
Uttarakhand projects fall under the Northern Railway (NR) and North Eastern Railway (NER) zones.
During FY 2022-23 to 2025-26, 3 surveys covering 146 km were sanctioned in Uttarakhand.
As of April 1, 2025, 3 new line projects (total length 216 Km, costing 40,384 crore) are sanctioned, with 16 km commissioned and 19,898 crore spent up to March 2025.
Infrastructure budget has increased from 187 Crore/year (2009-14) to 4,641 Crore (2025-26).
Specific Projects in Uttarakhand:
Deoband-Roorkee new line (29 km) has been commissioned.
Rishikesh-Karnaprayag new line (125 km) is in progress, with 97 km of tunneling completed.
Final Location Survey for the Char Dham project is complete, with two proposed alignments: Doiwala-Uttarkashi-Barkot and Karnaprayag-Saikot-Soneprayag-Joshimath.
Project Sanctioning:
Sanctioning of projects requires consultation with stakeholders, including State Governments, NITI Aayog, and the Ministry of Finance.
Exact timelines for project sanctioning cannot be fixed.
Impact Analysis:
Stakeholders: Ministry of Railways
Impact: Responsible for planning, sanctioning, and executing railway projects.
Action Required: Continue project execution, stakeholder consultations, and seeking necessary approvals.
Stakeholders: Uttarakhand State Government
Impact: Benefits from improved railway connectivity and increased tourism.
Action Required: Participate in consultations for project sanctioning and provide necessary support.
Stakeholders: Residents of Uttarakhand
Impact: Improved connectivity to religious sites, economic benefits from tourism and infrastructure development.
Action Required: No immediate action, but potential for future engagement in consultations.
Stakeholders: Pilgrims/Tourists
Impact: Easier access to Char Dham and other religious/tourist locations.
Action Required: None.
Key Entities Referenced
Uttarakhand: A state in India, focus of the railway line expansion mentioned in the document.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology who answered the question in Lok Sabha.
Indian Railways: The national railway system of India, responsible for the railway projects discussed.
Char Dham: Four holy shrines (Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath) in Uttarakhand, proposed to be connected by a railway line.
Northern Railway NR: One of the zones of Indian Railways, covering railway projects in Uttarakhand.
North Eastern Railway NER: One of the zones of Indian Railways, covering railway projects in Uttarakhand.
Rishikesh-Karnaprayag: A new rail line project in Uttarakhand, connecting Rishikesh with Karnaprayag.
NITI Aayog: A policy think tank of the Government of India, involved in the appraisal of railway projects.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 669
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2025
NEW RAILWAY LINE IN UTTARAKHAND
†669. SHRI AJAY BHATT:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has prepared a scheme to expand rail
network in the country;
(b) if so, the details of new railway lines in Uttarakhand;
(c) whether the Government proposes to connect the ‘Char Dham’
(four holy shrine) of Uttarakhand with a railway line;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, the reasons therefor?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (e): Railway projects are surveyed/ sanctioned/executed Zonal
Railway wise and not State-wise as the Railway’ projects may span
across State boundaries. Railway projects are sanctioned on the
basis of remunerativeness, traffic projections, last mile
connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of
congested/saturated lines, demands raised by State Governments,
..P/2-:2:-
Central Ministries, Members of Parliament, other public
representatives, Railway’s own operational requirement, socio-
economic considerations etc. depending upon throwforward of
ongoing projects and overall availability of funds.
During the last three years i.e. FY 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the
current FY 2025-26, 892 surveys (267 New Line, 614 Doubling and
11 Gauge conversion) of a total length of 61,462 km have been
sanctioned throughout the country.
As on 01.04.2025, across Indian Railways, 431 Railway
infrastructure projects (154 New Line, 33 Gauge Conversion and 244
Doubling) of total length 35,966 Km, costing approx. 6.75 lakh crore
are sanctioned, out of which, 12,769 Km length has been
commissioned and an expenditure of approx. 2.91 lakh crore has
been incurred upto March, 2025. The summary is as under:-
Total Length
Total Exp
No of Length Commissioned
Category upto Mar'25
Projects NL/GC/DL till Mar'25
( in crore)
(km) (Km)
New Lines 154 16,142 3,036 1,45,318
Gauge
33 4,180 2,997 22,753
Conversion
Doubling /
244 15,644 6,736 1,22,858
Multitracking
Total 431 35,966 12,769 2,90,929
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Zone-wise/year-wise details of all Railway projects are made
available in public domain on Indian Railway’s website.
The details of commissioning / laying of new track across Indian
Railways is given below:-
New track
Period Average commissioning of new tracks
Commissioned
2009-14 7,599 Km 4.2 Km/day
2014-25 34,428 Km 8.57 Km/day ( more than 2 times)
New Lines projects falling fully/partly in Uttarakhand are covered
under Northern Railway (NR) and North Eastern Railway (NER)
Zones of Indian Railways. Zonal Railway wise details of Railway
projects are made available in public domain on Indian Railway’s
website.
During the last three years i.e. 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and the
current FY 2025-26, 03 surveys (02 New Line and 01 Doubling) of a
total length of 146 km have been sanctioned falling fully/partly in
the state of Uttarakhand.
As on 01.04.2025, 03 New Lines, covering total length of 216 Km
costing 40,384 crore falling fully/partly in the State of Uttarakhand
are sanctioned, out of which 16 Km length has been commissioned
and an expenditure of 19,898 crore has been incurred upto March’
2025.
..P/4-:4:-
The status of work is summarized as under:-
Total Length Expenditure upto
Plan No. of
Length Commissioned March 2025
Head projects
(in Km) (in Km) ( in crore)
New
03 216 16 19,898
Lines
Budget allocation for Infrastructure projects and safety works,
falling fully/ partly in Uttarakhand is as under:
Period Outlay
2009-14 187 Crore/year
2025-26 4,641 Crore (nearly 25 times)
To improve connectivity to Uttarakhand, Deoband-Roorkee new line
project (29 km) has been commissioned recently. Further, work has
been taken up on Rishikesh-Karnaprayag new rail line project. It is
125 km long project which predominantly involves construction of
tunnels. About 97 km tunneling out of 105 km in this project length
has already been completed and works are in advance stage. This
project will provide rail connectivity to Devprayag and Karnaprayag
religious and tourist spots with Rishikesh and National Capital of
India.
The Final Location Survey of Chardham Project- connectivity link to
Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath with Indian Railways
has been completed. The project has two alignments (i) Doiwala-
Uttarkashi-Barkot which will serve Yamnotari and Gangotri shrines
(ii) Karnaprayag- Saikot- Soneprayag- Joshimath will serve
Kedarnath and Badrinath shrines.
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After firming up of Detailed Project Report, sanctioning of project
requires consultation with various stake-holders including State
Governments and necessary approvals viz. appraisal of NITI Aayog,
Ministry of Finance etc. As sanctioning of projects is a continuous
and dynamic process, exact timelines cannot be fixed.
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