A media delegation from Odisha today visited the Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) project site in Rishikesh as part of the ongoing media tour to Uttarakhand organised by the Press Information Bureau (PIB), Bhubaneswar, under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India.

The delegation was warmly received by Shri Om Prakash Malguri, DGM (Civil), RVNL, who briefed the visiting journalists about the progress and significance of the ambitious Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Rail Line Project. The project is considered one of the most challenging railway infrastructure initiatives undertaken in the Himalayan region and aims to significantly improve rail connectivity in Uttarakhand.

 

Officials informed that the 125-kilometre-long railway line, being developed at an estimated cost of about ₹37,000 crore, will connect Rishikesh to Karnaprayag through the rugged terrain of the Garhwal Himalayas. The project passes through five districts of Uttarakhand — Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Rudraprayag and Chamoli, thereby strengthening connectivity across the region.

 

Highlighting the engineering complexity of the project, officials stated that nearly 85 per cent of the rail alignment passes through tunnels, making it one of the most tunnel-intensive railway projects in the country. The project involves the construction of 16 major tunnels spanning over 100 kilometres, along with several bridges across deep valleys and mountain rivers.

 

As part of the visit, the media delegation also took a first-hand experience of the tunnelling works by visiting the tunnel stretch up to the proposed Shivpuri station. Walking through the tunnel allowed the journalists to observe the scale of excavation and the precision engineering involved in carving railway tunnels through the Himalayan rock formations.

 

Officials noted that once completed, the rail line will significantly improve connectivity to the hill districts and provide easier access to important pilgrimage destinations in Uttarakhand. The project is also expected to boost tourism, enhance mobility and contribute to the socio-economic development of the region.

The media delegation comprises nine senior journalists from Odisha and is accompanied by Shri Mahendra Jena, Assistant Director, and Shri Bikash Ranjan Dalai, Information Assistant, PIB Bhubaneswar. Shri Sanjeev Sundriyal, Assistant Director, PIB Dehradun, was also present during the visit.

Bikash/Mahendra

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