Breaking Through: The Triumph of India's Longest Rail Tunnel

India's engineering marvel, the 14.57 km rail tunnel linking Devprayag and Janasu, stands as a testament to human perseverance and innovation. Completed ahead of schedule, the tunnel is a key feature in the expansive Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Link Project.

The tunnel, bored through challenging mountain terrains, marks a first for the use of tunnel boring machines in railway projects in the Himalayan region. Operators Baljinder Singh and Ram Avtar Singh Rana navigated numerous obstacles including landslides to see the project through.

Despite the hurdles, the project was completed on April 16, 2025. The success of this engineering feat involved a relentless 24x7 effort by the operators and their teams, who worked in 12-hour shifts, overcoming unchartered terrains to achieve breakthroughs within the stipulated timeline.