Appoint nodal officer for Rishikesh to Karnprayag rail project: CM

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, April 1

Chief Minister Harish Rawat has instructed Chief Managing Director (CMD of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited Satish Agnihotri to appoint a nodal officer to complete all necessary formalities for the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail project.

At a meeting held here today, the Chief Minister said that the Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway project was important for Uttarakhand. He directed Agnihotri to expedite all formalities so that the project could start soon.

He said forest approval was to be sought for the project under two phases.

The Chief Minister directed Agnihotri to submit documents before seeking the forest approval for the 119-km route in the forest areas of the state.

Agnihotri said the length of the Rishikesh-Karnprayag rail project was 125 km. The first nine km rail line would be constructed on an open land whiles 80 per cent of the total route would be built inside a tunnel. He said the Central Government had sanctioned Rs 150 crore for the project.

Chief Secretary N Ravi Shankar and Principal Secretary, Forests, Ranveer Singh were present at the meeting.