As part of an Indian geostrategic initiative to build infrastructure along the India-China border to discourage Chinese expansion, this rail line is of national strategic importance,[1][2][3] hence it is being tracked on the Central Government’s PRAGATI (Pro Active Governance and Timely Implementation) portal.

[7] The line will serve pilgrims and local residents, and will be able to rapidly move troops to the India-China border.

[8] The project's foundation stone was scheduled to be laid by United Progressive Alliance chairperson Sonia Gandhi on 9 November 2011.

[11] The work began finally in 2015 under the leadership of Narendra Modi led National Democratic Alliance government.

Work on the first block section, from the Virbhadra railway station to Yog Nagari Rishikesh, began in June 2018 and was completed in 2020.