Railway ministry to study expanding rail, ropeway network in U'khand: Goyal

Railway Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said his ministry will conduct a study to expand the railway and ropeway network in Uttarakhand on the lines of Switzerland.

The assurance was given by Goyal at a meeting with Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat, who met him in Delhi on Tuesday, an official release here said.

At the chief minister's request, the railway minister also gave his approval to the final location survey of the Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail line, it said.

Goyal also asked officials to take immediate steps for doubling the single-line on the Haridwar-Raiwala section and introducing direct train service between Dehradun and Rishikesh.

He also asked officials to workout an action plan on commercial utilisation of the old Rishikesh railway station as suggested by the chief minister.

Goyal also asked officials of the Food and Public Distribution Ministry to release Rs 640 crore of Uttarakhand's subsidy dues under the decentralised procurement system.