Uttarakhand CM Meets Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav; Seeks Upgradation of Dehradun and Haridwar Stations as Model Stations

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami met Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav in New Delhi on Wednesday and discussed the expansion and modernization of railway infrastructure in Uttarakhand.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister requested that Dehradun and Haridwar railway stations be developed as model railway stations, along with the expansion and strengthening of facilities at both stations. He also urged the Central Government to bear the entire expenditure for the doubling of the Haridwar–Dehradun railway line.

The Union Railway Minister agreed to the proposal for developing Haridwar and Dehradun railway stations as model stations and assured that an appropriate decision would be taken after examining the issue of the Central Government bearing the full cost of the line-doubling project.

The Chief Minister further requested the inclusion of Almora and Someshwar areas in the Tanakpur–Bageshwar rail project alignment and suggested providing a road along the tunnel. The Railway Minister said the proposal would be considered.

CM Dhami also sought the closure of the old Rishikesh railway station and the transfer of its land to the state government. He added that if additional land is required for the smooth functioning of the Yoga City Railway Station, the state government would cooperate and make it available. The Railway Minister gave his in-principle consent to the proposal.

Additionally, on the Chief Minister’s request, the Union Railway Minister agreed to increase the frequency of the Dehradun–Tanakpur train service from once to thrice a week, further improving connectivity within the state.