The Ministry has launched a separate connection improvement scheme for Uttarakhand’s Char-Dham (Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunothri, and Gangothri). 40 civil works totaling Rs. 9474 crore (including cost of pre-construction works totaling Rs. 491 crore) in a length of 673 km have been sanctioned under the Chardham project, out of a total of 53 civil works covering an entire length of 889 km. 34 works totaling Rs. 7923 crores in length have been granted, of which 30 works totaling Rs. 7679 crores in length of 589 km are ongoing and 78 km have been finished as of March 2019 and 2 works totaling Rs. 141 crores in length of 1.1 km have been completed.
In the Indian state of Uttarakhand, the Char Dham National Highway is a two-lane (in each direction) express National Highway with a minimum width of 10 metres that is currently under development. By connecting the four holy spots in Uttarakhand states of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, the under-construction highway will complement the under-construction Char Dham Railway. The project involves 900 kilometres of national highways that would connect the whole state of Uttarakhand. In the Indian state of Uttarakhand, the Char Dham National Highway is a two-lane (in each direction) express National Highway with a minimum width of 10 metres that is currently under development. By connecting the four holy spots in Uttarakhand states of Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, the under-construction highway will complement the under-construction Char Dham Railway.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi lay the foundation stone for the project on December 27, 2016, at Parade Ground in Dehradun, at a cost of Rs 12,000 crores. The highway will be known as Char Dham Mahamarg (Char Dham Highway), and the highway development project will be known as Char Dham Mahamarg Vikas Pariyojana (Char Dham Highway Development Project), and it will be built to improve connectivity to the Chota Char Dham, which is nestled in the Himalayas. To reduce accident and slide-prone locations, the road will contain multiple lengthy bridges and tunnels. The Chief Secretary of India has urged Indian Railways and the National Highways Authority of India to ensure that rail and highway routes are integrated on this circuit.
Chardham Rail Line Project
The Chardham rail link has made another step ahead. In Badrinath, Central Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu lay the foundation stone for the 43,000 crore Chardham railway project final location survey. To offer train access to the Chardham pilgrimages of Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath. The final location survey for the railine to Chardham will be conducted by Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd.
Uttarakhand would benefit from the futuristic and ambitious Chardham railway line project, which will enhance pilgrimage and tourism. It will also make it easier to get to the state’s major pilgrimages, which are visited by thousands of pilgrims each year. The project will provide a secure and comfortable transportation to Chardham, in addition to tourism and job creation. The project will comprise the construction of 328 kilometres of railway line, 21 new railway stations, 61 tunnels (279 kilometres), and 59 bridges using cutting-edge engineering technologies. Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd conducted a Reconnaissance Engineering Survey (REC) for rail link to Chardham in 2014-2015 and submitted the report in October of that year. It suggests two railheads for the Gangotri-Yamunotri route, one at Doiwala and the other at Karanprayag for the Badrinath-Kedarnath route. The railway line for Gangotri and Yamunotri will begin at Doiwala, near Dehradun, while it will begin in Karnaprayag for Kedarnath and Badrinath. According to Railway Ministry authorities, the Doiwala-Gangotri line will be 131 kilometres long, with another 22 kilometres of track being laid from Maneri to Yamunotri. A 99-kilometer rail link will be built between Karnaprayag and Sonprayag for Kedarnath, and a 75-kilometer track will be built between Karnaprayag and Joshimath for Badrinath.
The government has set a timetable for the Chardham road connectivity project of December 2024. The Supreme Court’s order enabling the widening of the road network has now set the path for the unfinished work to be resumed and expedited. The road transport and highways ministry has yet to construct roughly 229 kilometres of the remaining network, according to the project’s current state. According to sources, construction organisations have finished putting black top (bituminous work) over 561 kilometres of road. The road transport and highways ministry has yet to construct roughly 229 kilometres of the remaining network, according to the project’s current state. According to sources, construction organizations have finished putting the black top (bituminous work) over 561 kilometres of the road network.
