RISHIKESH: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday laid the foundation stone for the Iconic City Rishikesh Rafting Base Station, marking a major step under the first phase of the Rishikesh Ganga Corridor Project. This phase, extending from Shivpuri to Muni Ki Reti, has received financial assistance of Rs 100 crore from the Government of India and is targeted for completion within two years.
Along with the rafting base station, the Chief Minister also inaugurated the construction of a multi-storey car parking facility and office building on land owned by the Municipal Corporation of Rishikesh. Executed by MDDA at a cost of approximately Rs 136 crore, the parking structure will accommodate over 1,000 vehicles, addressing long-standing traffic and parking challenges, especially during the busy Chardham Yatra season. The project will feature fire safety measures, modern CCTV surveillance, access control systems, rainwater harvesting, solar lighting, lifts, and green spaces.
The CM also inaugurated development works worth Rs 1.51 crore under the Municipal Corporation Rishikesh and distributed medical and traveler friend kits to “environmental friends.” Additionally, a hydrogel waterless toilet was inaugurated, emphasizing sustainable tourism infrastructure.
Speaking at the event, Dhami said that the rafting base station would significantly boost employment opportunities for locals engaged in the rafting sector. “We are moving closer to establishing Rishikesh as a global hub for river rafting,” he said. Plans also include building comfortable stations, boardwalks along the river, real-time monitoring of rafting routes, and installation of CCTV cameras, SOS alarms, and emergency help stations to ensure tourist safety.
Highlighting the broader development vision, Dhami said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Uttarakhand is witnessing rapid progress in infrastructure development, including the Char Dham Road Project and the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag Rail Line, which he termed “milestone projects” for the state.
In Rishikesh alone, infrastructure works worth over Rs 1,600 crore are underway. These include modernization of the Yoganagari Rishikesh Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Yojana, a planned ropeway to Neelkanth Mahadev Temple, and comprehensive water and sewerage projects worth Rs 740 crore.
The CM noted that once Rishikesh is equipped with world-class rafting facilities, a ropeway, and shuttle services, the city will witness a major boost in tourism, business, and employment opportunities. He also appealed to citizens to participate in an annual initiative of rafting with the tricolor on the Ganga, promoting a spirit of patriotism.
The event was attended by Cabinet Minister Subodh Uniyal, MLAs Premchand Agarwal and Renu Bisht, Rishikesh Mayor Shambhu Paswan, and senior officials including Principal Secretary Meenakshi Sundaram, Commissioner Garhwal Vinay Shankar Pandey, IG Garhwal Rajiv Swaroop, District Magistrate Dehradun Savin Bansal, and MDDA Vice President Banshidhar Tiwari.
