📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Satdeep Gill
National
41st Tunnel Bore Completed on Rishikesh‑Karnprayag Rail Link in Uttarakhand
✍️ Moneycontrol.com
🗓 15 Sep 2026, 12:35 PM
👁 9
The Indian Railways announced the successful breakthrough of the 41st tunnel on the Rishikesh‑Karnprayag railway project, marking a key milestone in the state's connectivity drive.
The Rishikesh‑Karnprayag railway line, part of the larger Char Dham rail network in Uttarakhand, recorded its 41st tunnel breakthrough this week. Engineers reported that the tunnel, located in the mountainous stretch between Rishikesh and Karnprayag, was successfully excavated using tunnel boring machines under challenging terrain.
This achievement shortens the remaining tunnelling work and brings the project closer to its target of completing the 126‑kilometre line by the mid‑2020s. Once operational, the rail link is expected to cut travel time between the pilgrimage hubs of Rishikesh, Karnprayag and the broader Garhwal region, boosting tourism and local commerce.
The Indian Railways has indicated that subsequent phases will focus on lining, outfitting and safety testing of the newly bored tunnel, with final commissioning slated for the latter half of the decade. The breakthrough underscores the government's commitment to enhancing infrastructure in the Himalayan belt.
This achievement shortens the remaining tunnelling work and brings the project closer to its target of completing the 126‑kilometre line by the mid‑2020s. Once operational, the rail link is expected to cut travel time between the pilgrimage hubs of Rishikesh, Karnprayag and the broader Garhwal region, boosting tourism and local commerce.
The Indian Railways has indicated that subsequent phases will focus on lining, outfitting and safety testing of the newly bored tunnel, with final commissioning slated for the latter half of the decade. The breakthrough underscores the government's commitment to enhancing infrastructure in the Himalayan belt.