Infrastructure development of the railway in Uttarakhand has been boosted significantly, and the state has been allocated 26 times the amount of budget allocated to the rail services than it used to be the case in the past. The increased funding is a giant impetus by the central government to intensify connectivity in the hilly state, whereby the topography has traditionally constrained the growth of railways.
Uttarakhand has been assigned 4.769 crore in the new railway budget, according to official data. This is a drastic increment of the average amount spent annually of about ₹180 crore in 20092014. The Centre is putting more investment into enhancing transport infrastructure in the Himalayan states to further boost economic growth, tourism, and the development of the region.
In addition to the increase in the budget, there are railway projects that are worth about ₹1.39 lakh crore, which are at different stages of planning and implementation all over the state. These projects encompass new railways, gauge conversion, track doubling, station redevelopment, electrification and upgrade of safety. Some of these projects are meant to enhance accessibility to the remote and hilly areas that have always been out of reach by rail.
The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line is one of the most ambitious projects being undertaken and is likely to cause a ground-breaking impact on the connectivity in Uttarakhand. The line is a strategically important one that will enhance access to the Garhwal region, and that is likely to go a long way in improving the access of pilgrims visiting major religious sites and tourists visiting hill towns. The construction of the project is associated with a significant amount of tunnelling and building bridges, which is why the development of the rail in the mountainous area is characterized by complex technical issues.
There is the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, which involves the redevelopment of 11 railway stations in Uttarakhand, with a modern passenger facility. Such upgrades entail better waiting rooms, increased accessibility, electronic information systems, and cleanliness and safety. The redevelopment is also intended to enhance the comprehensive passenger experience and modernize the stations to be on par with the latest standards.
The officials of the railways have also stressed the fact that the rail network in Uttarakhand is currently 100 per cent electrified, and this has led to the clean operation of trains and also the efficient running of trains. The state is now running Vande Bharat Express and Amrit Bharat Express, which have enhanced high-speed and semi-high-speed connectivity with major cities.
The increased investment in the railway is likely to increase tourism, employment, and local business, especially in the districts that are mainly dependent on pilgrimage and seasonal travel. Enhanced rail connectivity would also tend to decrease the travel period, improve the movement of freight, and contribute to long-term economic growth.
As giant projects are financed and historic amounts of funds are currently in place, the railway picture in Uttarakhand is bound to change significantly in the coming years, and the state will become more connected to the rest of the transport system in the country.
