Breakthrough achieved in longest Indian Railways tunnel in Devprayag
By Our Staff Reporter
Rishikesh, 16 Apr: India’s longest rail tunnel, spanning a length of 14.49 kilometres from Devprayag Saud to Janasu in Uttarakhand, marked a significant breakthrough today. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami were present to celebrate this milestone. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has achieved a remarkable feat as part of the 125 kilometres long Rishikesh-Karnaprayag broad gauge rail project. It may be reminded here that 105 km of this rail project is built within tunnels, featuring a total of 16 tunnels between Rishikesh and Karnaprayag.
On this occasion, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inspected the site, reviewed the construction progress, and interacted with officials regarding technical details. Expressing his delight over the successful breakthrough, the Railway Minister described the development as a vital step toward Uttarakhand’s progress. He congratulated the railway officials, employees, and workers for their efforts and affirmed that operations on this rail line are expected to commence soon. Highlighting its significance, Vaishnaw also observed that this 14.57 ki tunnel is not only the longest in Uttarakhand but across India. He emphasised that this marks the first time TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) technology has been used to construct a rail tunnel in mountainous terrain, with a single-shield rock TBM setting global benchmarks in speed and precision.
It may be recalled that the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag project aims to connect major Uttarakhand cities, including Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar, and Karnaprayag. The rail line will reduce the travel time between Rishikesh and Karnaprayag from seven hours to two hours and importantly, also ensure year-round connectivity to remote areas, and bolster tourism and economic development. It is also being seen as a critical advancement in completing the Char Dham Rail Project. The Railway Minister heralded the achievement as a testament to RVNL’s expertise in handling challenging construction projects, stating that the success marks the dawn of a stronger and more connected India.
CM Pushkar Singh Dhami referred to the tunnel as a historic accomplishment for Uttarakhand’s development. He stressed that the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project would improve transportation for locals and invigorate tourism, trade, and economic activities. Dhami applauded the state’s infrastructure advancements under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and highlighted the project as a technical triumph despite challenging geographical conditions. He also mentioned the completion of the survey for the Tanakpur-Bageshwar Rail Project, noting that further action is forthcoming.
Among those present during the event included Cabinet Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, Pauri MP Anil Baluni, District Magistrates Ashish Chauhan and Mayur Dixit, RVNL Chairman and Managing Director Pradeep Gaur, ADM Anil Singh Garbyal, Joint Magistrate Deepak Ram Chandra Shet, GM Northern Railway Ashok Kumar Verma, Managing Director Bhanu Prakash, Chief Project Manager RVNL Ajit Yadav, GM RVNL Sumit Jain, and others.
