India's Longest 14.57-km Rail Tunnel in Uttarakhand Achieves Breakthrough, Attended by Vaishnaw and Dhami

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Updated Apr 16, 2025, 04:11 PM

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami attended the breakthrough ceremony of Tunnel T-8 in the Devprayag to Janasu section, part of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project. The tunnel, spanning 14.57 kilometers, is the longest transportation tunnel in India and was completed using a Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) named Shakti. Another TBM, Shiva, is expected to achieve breakthrough by July 2025. The use of TBM technology for rail tunneling in the mountainous regions of India marks the first time such technology has been deployed, setting a benchmark with a 9.11-meter diameter single-shield rock TBM. The tunnel lies in tectonically active Seismic Zone IV, requiring sophisticated design and continuous geological probing. The Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project aims to enhance connectivity across five Himalayan districts, with more than 83% of its 125-km alignment passing through tunnels. Once complete, the project will significantly reduce travel time and improve access to remote regions, boosting tourism and economic development in Uttarakhand. It is also a critical step in realizing the Char Dham rail connectivity initiative. In a separate event, the Silkyara Tunnel, part of the Chardham Mahamarg project, also achieved a breakthrough, reducing travel time by one hour. Chief Minister Dhami also participated in the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the newly built Baba Baukhnath temple near the Silkyara tunnel, where 41 workers were trapped in 2023.

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#Ashwini Vaishnaw #Uttarakhand #Pushkar Singh Dhami #Devprayag #Janasu #India #Tunnel Boring Machine #Shakti #Shiva #Seismic Zone IV #Himalayan #Char Dham #Silkyara Tunnel #Chardham Mahamarg #Dhami #Pran Pratishtha #Baba Baukhnath temple #Silkyara tunnel

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Sources

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ANI

@ANI

#WATCH | Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand | Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, "Today is a very historic day. A major milestone has been achieved: a breakthrough has been achieved in India's longest transportation tunnel of 14.5 kilometres. This is the major section of our Rishikesh https://t.co/SbCZNfzznB

Ministry of Railways

@RailMinIndia

Honorable Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Mr. @pushkardhami and Honorable Railway Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw participated in the break through program of TBM of Tunnel No. T-8 of Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project in Janasu, Pauri Garhwal and inspected the project. https://t.co/AeT8a36Em3

ANI

@ANI

#WATCH | Uttarakhand | BJP MP Anil Baluni says, "Today is a very proud day for the whole state...The biggest tunnel has been completed today... This is the dream project of PM Modi and people from abroad will come to do research on this project..." https://t.co/yNVbDWvisS