New Delhi, Feb 4 :Shri Saleem Ahmad, Chairman & Managing Director, Rail Vikas Nigam Limited undertook a two-day visit to the Rishikesh–Karnaprayag New Broad Gauge Rail Link Project site on 2nd and 3rd February 2026. During the visit, he conducted a comprehensive review of the project’s progress, inspected critical construction sites, and interacted with key stakeholders and the workforce engaged in this strategically significant Himalayan rail corridor.
The 125-km Rishikesh–Karnaprayag Rail Link, executed by Navratna CPSU RVNL for Indian Railways in Uttarakhand, is one of India’s most ambitious infrastructure projects in the Himalayan region. It aims to provide all-weather, landslide-resilient rail connectivity to remote Garhwal districts, significantly reducing travel time and improving regional mobility, tourism, and trade.
CMD’s Review and Directives
On the first day, Shri Ahmad chaired a detailed review meeting with senior project officials, engineers, contractors, and national and international tunnelling experts. Discussions focused on:
Construction progress and timelines
Complex geological challenges
Tunnelling milestones
Safety and quality measures
Shri Ahmad directed that the project must be commissioned by 2028, emphasizing quality, safety, and environmental sustainability. He described the rail corridor as not just an infrastructure asset but a transformational lifeline for the Himalayan region. The possibility of developing road tunnels alongside railway tunnels was also explored to enhance road connectivity and safety for local communities.
On the second day, Shri Ahmad inspected ongoing tunnelling works, bridges, and station locations, reviewing construction quality, environmental safeguards, and workforce safety practices. He thanked the workforce for their dedication in executing the project under challenging Himalayan conditions.
His execution mantras for the project emphasized:
Speed with discipline and adherence to timelines
Quality and structural durability
Workforce and asset safety
Environmental protection and ecological balance
Advanced technology and mechanization
Social responsibility and workforce welfare
Engineering Highlights
The project traverses highly unpredictable Himalayan geology, with steep valleys, fractured rock masses, heavy groundwater ingress, extreme weather, and seismic vulnerability. Mechanized construction techniques being employed include:
Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs)
Semi- and fully-automatic drill jumbos
Robotic PLC-controlled shotcrete systems
Advanced dewatering arrangements, pipe-roofing, and chemical/cement grouting
Seismic-resistant tunnel and bridge designs
A defining milestone is Tunnel-8, a 14.58-km twin-tube tunnel, the longest in India, completed using TBMs in young, fragile Himalayan geology including the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) zone. This achievement sets a national benchmark in mechanized Himalayan tunnelling.
Project Impact
The rail link will connect five Uttarakhand districts—Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli—directly to the national rail network for the first time. Once operational, it will:
Reduce travel time between Rishikesh and Karnaprayag from ~7 hours to 2.5 hours
Boost tourism and pilgrimage traffic
Improve logistics and trade efficiency
Generate large-scale employment
Act as a potential feeder corridor for future Char Dham rail connectivity
Stations and Infrastructure
Twelve new stations are planned along the route, including Shivpuri, Byasi, Devprayag, Janasu, Maletha, Srinagar, Dhar Devi Ji, Tilani, Gholtir, Gauchar, and Karnaprayag, excluding the existing Virbhadra Station and the already commissioned Yog Nagari Rishikesh.
Key Milestones & Progress
5.7 km Virbhadra–Yog Nagari Rishikesh block commissioned in 2020
13 of 16 main tunnels excavated (98 km, 95%)
40 of 46 tunnel drives broken through; 130.6 km of final lining completed
8 of 19 major rail bridges completed, including Bridge-8 (3×90 m) & Bridge-9 (15×30.5 m) over River Alaknanda
Track-laying in active progress
Electrical (E&M/OHE) & signalling works to commence October 2026
Station buildings at Shivpuri & Byasi started December 2025; remaining stations from May 2026
