Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Link Project

Prelims – Current events of National Importance.

Mains (GS III) – Infrastructure.

Why in news?

Recently, the Railway Minister observed the completion of India's longest rail tunnel, Tunnel No. 8, located between Devprayag and Janasu, part of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Link Project in Uttarakhand.

• It is set to become the India’s longest transport tunnel, surpassing existing rail and road tunnels in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
• Completion expected by - 2026-27.
• Agency - Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL), a public sector undertaking under the Ministry of Railways.
  • Achieved breakthrough using a German-made tunnel boring machine (TBM) named 'Shakti'.
• This initiative aims to enhance access to the Char Dham pilgrimage sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Badrinath, and Kedarnath, located in the Garhwal region of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand.
• The railway line spans approximately 125.20 kilometers and will feature 12 stations, 35 bridges, and 17 tunnels.
• Notably, it includes a significant 15.1-kilometer tunnel connecting Devprayag and Lachmoli.
• Additionally, this rail project is part of a broader Indian geostrategic effort to develop infrastructure along the India-China border.
• The progress of the project is being tracked through the Government of India’s PRAGATI (Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation) portal.

Reference

The Hindu | Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail link project