Uttarakhand CM bats for expansion of rail network

Seeks immediate implementation of projects sanctioned for the state in the last Rail budget

Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday demanded expansion of railway network in Uttarakhand in view of the strategic importance of the state which shares borders with China and Nepal.

In a detailed proposal submitted to Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda, Rawat sought immediate implementation of projects sanctioned for Uttarakhand in the last Rail budget and clearance to new ones in the next, besides additional facilities in trains bound for different destinations in the state known for its tourism potential and places of religious significance.

"Tourists and pilgrims, more than double the total population of Uttarakhand, visit the state every year.

Strategically too the state is very important sharing borders with China and Nepal. China has expanded the road and rail network at a phenomenal pace over the past few years.

"Hence, it is necessary that we expand the rail network in Uttarakhand not only for the convenience of tourists and pilgrims coming from all over the country and abroad but also from the strategic point of view," a statement said, quoting Rawat.