Reviewing the work on Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line, chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh directed the officials concerned to speed up the work. He also sought progress report from the District Magistrates concerned through video conferencing.
The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited was also asked to cooperate in the works as per the regulations.
The transport secretary Shailesh Bagauli informed that construction work has started on the 125.20 kilometre long Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail line to be built at a cost of Rs 16,216 crore.
Constructin work is underway on Veerbhadra-New Rishikesh rail line, three bridges and approach road while the tunneling work will also begin from March 2019. This will entail construction of total 218 kilometre tunnel including 12 new railway stations, 17 tunnels of 105.47 kilometre length and 98.54 kilometre long escape tunnel.
Sixteen important bridges totaling to 2,835 metres in length will also be constructed as part of the project. Bagauli further informed that the Veerbhadra-New Rishikesh railway line will become functional by 2019-20, the New Rishikesh-Devprayag railway line by 2023-24 and the Devprayag-Karnprayag railway line will become operational by 2024-25.
Principal secretary Alok Verma, secretaries Vinod Raturi, R Meenakshi Sundaram and RVNL project director Himanshu Badoni among others were present in the meeting.
