Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the extension of the high-speed train service would strengthen connectivity between Uttarakhand and the National Capital Region while promoting tourism, pilgrimage travel and economic activity across the state. He said the project would provide pilgrims, tourists and residents with fast, safe and modern transportation facilities and would give a new direction to the state's connectivity infrastructure.
According to the proposal, the corridor will originate from Modipuram in Meerut and pass through Muzaffarnagar before entering Uttarakhand. The route will then cover Roorkee, Haridwar and Rishikesh before terminating near Lakshman Jhula. Of the total alignment, 72 kilometres will be located in Uttar Pradesh while 78 kilometres will fall within Uttarakhand.
Currently, travel between Delhi and Rishikesh by road requires around five to six hours. With trains capable of operating at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour, the travel duration is expected to be reduced to approximately two-and-a-half to three hours.
During the cabinet meeting, the Uttarakhand government approved several major policy and administrative decisions spanning animal husbandry, education, tourism, infrastructure and prison administration.
The cabinet approved a pilot embryo transfer project aimed at improving cattle breeds and increasing milk production. It also sanctioned state support covering 20 per cent of insurance premiums for horses and mules deployed during the Char Dham pilgrimage.
In the education sector, the cabinet approved measures to declare Uttarakhand a fully literate state in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020. Financial assistance was also approved to clear pending payments under the state government's Golden Card health scheme.
To promote tourism, the cabinet gave approval for the organisation of an international Himalayan car rally. It also approved temporary price adjustment provisions for bitumen-related road contracts following sharp increases in petroleum prices caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
In a move aimed at enhancing exports, the cabinet sanctioned the creation of five specialist positions for operating an Accelerator Mass Spectrometry machine at the Aroma Plant Centre in Selaqui. The facility will be used to detect adulteration in aromatic oils and herbal products.
The cabinet further approved amendments related to prison administration, regulations governing Sanskrit education and service rules applicable to prison superintendents.
Another major decision involved the approval of revised eligibility norms for equal pay provisions applicable to Upnal personnel in compliance with court directives.
The state cabinet also expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for their role in helping build consensus among states on the long-pending Kishau multipurpose dam project.
The proposed regional rapid transit extension and the wide-ranging policy decisions underscore Uttarakhand's efforts to strengthen infrastructure, improve public services, expand economic opportunities and accelerate development across multiple sectors.
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