New Delhi: Indian Railways has completed 100 percent electrification of Uttarakhand's broad gauge of around 347 kilometres on Monday, said the Ministry in a statement. Further, it added that the electrification of this route will lead to saving in account of reduced line haul cost (about 2.5 times lower), heavier haulage capacity, increased sectional capacity, reduced operating and maintenance cost of electric loco, energy efficient and eco-friendly mode of transportation with reduced dependence on imported crude oil, saving of foreign exchange.
"Further, Rishikesh to Karnprayag, a new line work is under construction which will be another landmark achievement of Indian Railways, bringing Char Dham pilgrimage route on Indian Railways’ circuit. This route is sanctioned along with electrification, in sync with Railways’ policy of 100 percent electrified network," the statement added.
"Uttarakhand falls under the Northern and North-Eastern Railway’s jurisdiction. Some of the major railway stations in Uttarakhand are Dehradun, Haridwar, Roorkee, Rishikesh, Kathgodam and Tanakpur. Some of them have religious importance and some are tourist attractive places. Badrinath, Kedarnath, Yamunotri, Gangotri, Hemkund Sahib, Mussoorie, Nainital, Jim Corbett and Haridwar are a few to name. Kathgodam station is an important station with annual passenger footfall of about seven lakhs and this terminating station acts as entry of Kumaun region of Uttrakhand," it added.
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