People surprised as railway tracks appear under Ganga in Haridwar due to temporary closure of canal

The temporary closing of the Ganga Canal for repair at Haridwar's Har Ki Pauri has provided a unique opportunity for residents and tourists to reflect on the past: did trains run where the Ganga Canal presently stands prior to its completion decades ago?With the canal closed and the water draining, officials were taken aback when they discovered the old railway tracks beneath the Ganga River, around 3 kilometres from the Haridwar Railway Station.



Every year, the Uttar Pradesh irrigation authority locks the Ganga Canal for maintenance, briefly changing the appearance of the Ganges at Haridwar. Due to the extremely low water level, railway tracks appeared this time, piquing the interest of onlookers.

While several hypotheses circulate online, long-time resident Adesh Tyagi claims that during the canal's building in around 1850, handcarts ran on these tracks to transfer construction materials.


After the dam and embankment from Bhimgoda Barrage to Dam Kothi were completed, he thought that British authorities used these tracks for inspection.

According to a report by News18, professor Dr Sanjay Maheshwari, a history expert, agreed with this notion, stating that the canal was a major project for Lord Dalhousie, the then-British administrator.

It was constructed under the guidance of engineer Thomas Cautley. Many large-scale undertakings from the British period continue to play an important role in modern India.

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