Rishikesh, Nov 22 (PTI) Trains are expected to start operating on the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line by December 2026 with 60 per cent of the sanctioned budget for the project already spent, an official said on Friday.

The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line is a pet project of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and holds significant religious, cultural, and economic importance for Uttarakhand, said Chief Project Director Ajit Yadav at a press conference here.

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The railway line will pass through 12 stations across the districts of Dehradun, Tehri, Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli. It will connect important cities such as Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar, and Karnaprayag, he added.

This line will provide easier access to Uttarakhand's pilgrimage sites, while also boosting the state's tourism and economy, Yadav noted.

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The project includes a total of 38 breakthroughs, of which 28 have been completed so far. The remaining are expected to be completed by March 2025, he said.

In addition, 19 railway bridges will be built over rivers along the route. Of these, five major bridges have been completed and work on the remaining 14 is underway. They are likely to be completed by 2025, he said.

The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line is 125.2 km long and will include 17 tunnels, one of which will be 15.1 km long, the official said.

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