The Uttarakhand Cabinet has highlighted a series of infrastructure and development projects aimed at improving pilgraccess, transport, healthcare, energy and employment across the state.
The details were shared by the Uttarakhand Chief Minister’s Office in a message outlining the government’s development priorities. The projects include the Char Dham highway, the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail line, 2 ropeway schemes, major dam projects and new facilities in the Kumaon and Terai regions.
Road, rail and ropeway connectivity
The approximately ₹12,595 crore Char Dham highway development project is improving connectivity for the Char Dham pilgr, according to the message. The 125-kilometre Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project was described as an important step towards bringing rail services closer to Uttarakhand’s mountainous areas.
The Cabinet also referred to approval for the approximately ₹4,081 crore Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway project and the ₹2,730 crore Govindghat-Hemkund Sahib ropeway project. Once developed, these projects are expected to make travel easier for pilgrims visiting the 2 religious destinations.
The message also cited ongoing work under the Kedarnath reconstruction programme and the master plan for Badrinath Dham. These initiatives were presented as part of the Prime Minister’s vision of combining development with heritage conservation.
Energy, industry and healthcare
The Cabinet said progress had been made on the long-pending Jamrani Dam, Lakhwar and Kishau multipurpose projects with the support of the Prime Minister. It also highlighted the 1,000-megawatt pumped storage plant in Tehri as a significant development for the energy sector.
In Udham Singh Nagar district, an integrated manufacturing cluster is being developed at Khurpia. The project is expected to create greater possibilities for investment and employment in the district.
A satellite centre of AIIMS Rishikesh is being developed at Kichha. The facility is expected to improve access to healthcare for people in the Kumaon and Terai regions.
Tourism and border-village development
The Cabinet also referred to efforts to promote the Prime Minister’s Adi Kailash visit and winter tourism in Uttarakhand. The message said the visit had given religious tourism in the border region a new identity.
It added that the growing number of visitors to the Adi Kailash and Om Parvat areas had supported local homestays, transport services, handicrafts and self-employment. Border villages have also been presented as “first villages” rather than the country’s last villages.
Under the Vibrant Villages Programme, 51 border villages in Uttarakhand have been included as priority areas. The programme was cited in the context of strengthening development in the state’s frontier regions.
Winter tourism has received particular attention. On 6 March 2025, the Prime Minister visited Mukhwa, the winter seat of Maa Ganga, and appealed to people across the country to visit Uttarakhand during the winter season from Harsil.
According to the message, the number of pilgrims and tourists arriving during the winter pilgrseason increased from approximately 80,000 to 150,000. The figures were cited as evidence of the positive effect of the winter tourism push.
Women’s economic participation and long-term goals
The Cabinet said the Prime Minister’s Lakhpati Didi vision had provided a new direction to women’s economic empowerment in Uttarakhand.
In its note of thanks, the Cabinet described Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years of public service as the head of government as an important stage in the country’s development, welfare and national confidence journey.
It also expressed a commitment to developing Uttarakhand while balancing development with heritage, economic growth with environmental concerns, and modernisation with culture. The state is expected to contribute its full capacity to the goal of building a developed India by 2047.
Conclusion
The Uttarakhand Cabinet’s priorities span pilgrconnectivity, mountain transport, healthcare, energy, industry, border-village development and winter tourism. The projects and programmes described in the message are intended to improve access and create wider economic opportunities across the state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the cost of the Char Dham highway development project?
The project has an approximate cost of ₹12,595 crore.
Q. How long is the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project?
The rail project is 125 kilometres long.
Q. Which ropeway projects have received approval?
Approval has been given for the approximately ₹4,081 crore Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway and the ₹2,730 crore Govindghat-Hemkund Sahib ropeway.
Q. Where is the new AIIMS satellite centre being developed?
The AIIMS Rishikesh satellite centre is being developed at Kichha.
Q. How many border villages are included under the Vibrant Villages Programme?
A total of 51 border villages in Uttarakhand have been included as priority areas.
Q. What increase was reported in winter tourism?
The number of winter pilgrims and tourists was reported to have risen from approximately 80,000 to 150,000.
Q. Which major energy facility was highlighted in Tehri?
The Cabinet highlighted a 1,000-megawatt pumped storage plant in Tehri.
Q. What is the stated long-term development goal?
The Cabinet said Uttarakhand would contribute to the construction of a developed India by 2047.
