The first phase of the long-awaited Rishikesh-Karnaprayag rail project will be completed by the end of 2026, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Saturday after visiting the project site at Karnaparayag-Simai. A tunnel is being made as part of the project at Karnaprayag-Simai. "It is a unique project. You can see how difficult it is to make tunnels in the hills. However, work is progressing at a fast pace. By the end of 2026, the first phase of the project will be operational," Dhami told reporters in Karnaprayag. It will prove to be a milestone in the development of Uttarakhand, he said. Dhami was in Karnaprayag to garner support for BJP candidates in the forthcoming urban local body polls slated for January 23. Once the rail project is completed, the journey to the mountains will become easier and tourism will get a big boost, he said. It will make the pilgrimage to Chardham extremely convenient, besides opening up new employment and self-employment avenues, D