RVNL Achieves Historic Breakthrough In India’s Longest Rail Tunnel: A Milestone For Uttarakhand And The Nation
This achievement is part of the 125-kilometer Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Project
India marked a historic moment in infrastructure development as Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) successfully achieved a breakthrough in the country’s longest railway tunnel—spanning 14.57 kilometers between Devprayag-Saud and Janasu in Uttarakhand. This significant achievement is part of the 125-kilometer Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Broad Gauge Rail Project, a cornerstone initiative for enhancing connectivity in the Himalayan region.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami were present at the breakthrough site, jointly inspecting the tunnel and taking stock of the progress. Minister Vaishnaw lauded the engineering feat, calling it “an important step towards the development of Uttarakhand” and congratulated all railway officials, engineers, and workers involved.
“This tunnel is not just the longest in Uttarakhand, but in the entire country,” the Railway Minister said. “Its successful breakthrough using TBM (Tunnel Boring Machine) technology—a first in India’s hilly regions—sets a global benchmark in construction speed and precision. The single-shield rock TBM, with a diameter of 9.11 meters, has demonstrated world-class performance.”
The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line includes 16 tunnels spanning 105 kilometers, covering over 80% of the total track length. Once completed, the project will connect key towns such as Rishikesh, Devprayag, Srinagar, Rudraprayag, Gauchar, and Karnaprayag, reducing travel time between Rishikesh and Karnaprayag from seven hours to just two hours.
“This breakthrough is a major stride toward completing the Char Dham Rail Project, and will offer year-round connectivity to remote areas,” Vaishnaw added. “It will boost tourism, improve accessibility, and drive economic development in the region.”
Chief Minister Dhami called the tunnel “a historic achievement” and praised the Centre’s commitment to infrastructure growth under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Despite the challenging geography, we’ve shown that development is possible. This tunnel is a testament to the technical prowess and determination of our engineers,” he said.
He also shared updates on other regional connectivity projects, noting that the Tanakpur-Bageshwar Rail Project has been surveyed and will see action in the near future.
As RVNL continues to push the boundaries of engineering in India’s toughest terrains, this breakthrough marks not just a construction milestone, but a leap forward in building a new, stronger, and better-connected India.
