Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project Cost Jumps 129% to Rs 37,119 Crore, Completion Pushed to 2029
An RTI response has revealed the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project's cost has risen nearly 129% to Rs 37,119 crore, with full completion now set for December 2029.
Current Summary
The estimated cost of the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway project has risen by nearly 129 percent, from Rs 16,216 crore to Rs 37,119 crore, according to information obtained under the Right to Information Act by Noida-based activist Amit Gupta. Expenditure so far stands at Rs 29,396 crore. Rail Vikas Nigam Limited, which provided the response, said the Rishikesh-Byasi section is scheduled for completion by June 2028, while the Byasi-Karnaprayag section has a target date of December 2029. RVNL reported that about 79 percent of overall project work is complete. Of the project's 103,988 metres of main tunnels, 87,040 metres — about 83.7 percent — have been completed, leaving 16,948 metres still to be built. The project also includes 97,237 metres of emergency tunnels, though the completed portion of that work was not fully detailed in available reporting.
What We Know
- Project cost has risen from Rs 16,216 crore to Rs 37,119 crore, a 129% increase
- Expenditure so far is Rs 29,396 crore
- Rishikesh-Byasi section targeted for June 2028 completion
- Byasi-Karnaprayag section targeted for December 2029 completion
- About 79% of overall project work is complete, including 83.7% of main tunnel construction
What Is Still Unclear
- Specific reasons cited by RVNL for the cost escalation
- Funding source for the additional Rs 20,903 crore
What Changed
- 29 Oct, 02:01 pmSignal detected: Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Project Cost Jumps 129% to Rs 37,119 Crore, Completion Pushed to 2029