Executive Summary:
This document, a response to Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 157, provides details on railway projects in Uttarakhand. As of April 1, 2025, three new line projects are sanctioned, with ongoing construction and budget allocations detailed. The document highlights the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line as a key project transforming connectivity in the region.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Project Scope and Sanctioning:**
* Railway projects are managed zone-wise (Northern Railway and North Eastern Railway for Uttarakhand) and not state-wise.
* Sanctioning of projects is a continuous process based on factors like remunerativeness, traffic, connectivity, and socio-economic considerations.
* As of 01.04.2025, 3 New Line projects are sanctioned in Uttarakhand, covering 216 km at a cost of Rs 40,384 crore.
* **Progress and Expenditure:**
* 16 km of new lines have been commissioned.
* Expenditure up to March 2025 is Rs 19,898 crore.
* **Budget Allocation:**
* The outlay for 2009-14 was Rs 187 crore/year.
* The budget allocation for 2025-26 is Rs 4,641 crore.
* **Key Projects:**
* The Deoband-Roorkee new line project (27 km) is completed.
* The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag new rail line project (125 km) involves the construction of 16 main line tunnels (105 km) and 12 escape tunnels (98 km).
* Tunneling of 199 Km against total scope of 213 Km has been completed.
* Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) was used for the longest tunnel (14.8 km).
* **Surveys:**
* During 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, 3 surveys (2 New Line and 1 Doubling) of 146 km total length have been sanctioned.
Impact Analysis:
* **Government of India (Ministry of Railways):**
* Impact: Required to oversee project execution, allocate funds, and ensure transparency by providing project details on the Indian Railways website.
* Action Required: Continue monitoring project progress, allocate necessary funds, and maintain updated information on the website.
* **Indian Railways (Northern Railway and North Eastern Railway Zones):**
* Impact: Responsible for executing the projects within their respective zones, ensuring timely completion, and managing resources efficiently.
* Action Required: Expedite project execution, manage resources, and ensure adherence to timelines and budgets.
* **Citizens of Uttarakhand:**
* Impact: Improved connectivity to remote areas, economic development through tourism and trade, and easier access to religious sites.
* Action Required: No direct action required; benefit from improved infrastructure.
* **Railway Infrastructure Contractors:**
* Impact: Responsible for construction and development of rail infrastructure.
* Action Required: Execute projects with latest technologies ensuring minimum damage to ecology and surroundings.
Key Entities Referenced
Uttarakhand: A state in India, focus of railway development mentioned in the document.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology.
Indian Railways: The national railway system of India, responsible for the railway projects.
Northern Railway NR: Zonal Railway of Indian Railways, covering projects in Uttarakhand.
North Eastern Railway NER: Zonal Railway of Indian Railways, covering projects in Uttarakhand.
Rishikesh-Karnaprayag new rail line project: A 125 km railway project in Uttarakhand, aimed at improving connectivity to religious and tourist locations.
Deoband-Roorkee new line project: A 27 km railway line project recently completed, reducing the distance between Delhi and Dehradun.
Himalayas: The mountain range in which the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line is being constructed, presenting geological challenges.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
STARRED QUESTION NO. 157
TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025
NEW RAILWAY LINES/TRAINS IN UTTARAKHAND
†*157. SHRI AJAY BHATT:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
the project-wise total amount of funds allocated to Uttarakhand for
new railway projects during the last three years and the current year?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
A Statement is laid on the Table of the House.
*****STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY OF LOK SABHA STARRED
QUESTION NO. 157 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30.07.2025.
The Railway projects are surveyed/ sanctioned/executed Zonal Railway
wise and not State-wise as the Railways’ projects may span across
state boundaries. Sanctioning of Railway projects is a continuous and
dynamic process of Indian Railway. Railway Infrastructure Projects are
taken up on the basis of remunerativeness, traffic projections, last mile
connectivity, missing links and alternate routes, augmentation of
congested/saturated lines, socio-economic considerations etc.
depending upon liabilities of ongoing projects, overall availability of
funds and competing demands.
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.
As on 01.04.2025, 03 New Lines, covering total length of 216 Km
costing Rs 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 Rs19,898 crore has been incurred upto March’ 2025.
The status of work is summarized as under:-
Category No. of Total Length Expenditure
projects Length Commissioned upto March
(in Km) (in Km) 2025
(Rs in crore)
New 03 216 16
19,898
Lines
--2/--2-
Budget allocation for Infrastructure projects and safety works, falling
fully/ partly in Uttarakhand is as under:
Period Outlay
2009-14 Rs 187 Crore/year
2025-26 Rs 4,641 Crore (nearly 25 times)
Zone-wise/year-wise details of all Railway projects are made available
in public domain on Indian Railway’s website.
The status of major projects falling fully/partly in the State of
Uttarakhand is as under:
Recently Deoband-Roorkee new line project (27 km) has been
completed. It will reduce the distance between Delhi and
Dehradun by approx. 40 km.
Rishikesh-Karnaprayag new rail line project (125 km) is a
prestigious project of Indian Railways which lies completely in
the state of Uttarakhand. It passes through difficult geological
and challenging terrain of Himalayas. This project is aimed at
transforming connectivity in Uttarakhand.
The project alignment passes through Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri
Garhwal, Rudrapryag and Chamoli Districts of Uttarakhand and will
provide rail connectivity to Devprayag and Karnaprayag religious and
tourist spots with Rishikesh and National Capital of India.
--3/--3-
The alignment of the project predominantly passes through tunnels.
The project involves construction of 16 main line tunnels of 105 km
length and 12 escape tunnels of about 98 km length. So far, 13 main
line tunnels and 9 escape tunnels have been completed.
To increase progress of works, 08 Adits in various tunnels were also
identified. These adits created additional work faces of tunnel
excavation expediting early completion of long tunnels. Works of all 8
Adits have also been completed.
Accordingly, tunneling of 199 Km against total scope of 213 Km has
been completed.
For the first time in Indian Railways, Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) was
deployed in the Himalayan Geology for faster execution of works of
longest tunnel (T-8) which is 14.8Km long. Breakthrough of this tunnel
through TBM has been achieved.
The tunneling is being carried out with all precautions and latest
technologies to ensure minimum damage to ecology and surroundings.
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.
*****