Meerut Rishikesh Namo Bharat corridor could shorten Char Dham journeys
Traveling to Uttarakhand's famous Char Dham could get a lot easier.
The proposed Meerut-Rishikesh Namo Bharat corridor and the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line, already 75% finished, could connect Delhi-NCR with key pilgrimage spots if developed as planned.
Most of the 127-kilometer route runs through tunnels carved into the Himalayas, aiming to save travelers hours on the road.
Kedarnath Badrinath access improves by rail
While these trains will not drop you right at Kedarnath or Badrinath, they will get you much closer: think Karnaprayag for Badrinath and Rudraprayag or Tilani for Kedarnath, with shorter road trips from there.
Locals in five Garhwal districts will also see better connections.
Plus, this project is a real engineering feat: around 105km of the 127-km route will pass through tunnels, the section up to Shivpuri-Biyasi is expected to be ready in 2028, while the full line is expected to become operational by 2029, making future trips way smoother for everyone.