Dehradun: A survey for laying a railway line connecting four important Hindu shrines in the hills of Uttarakhand would be undertaken soon, an official said on Friday.

The four shrines -- Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri -- are visited annually by millions during the Char Dham Yatra in summer.

The announcement was made by Union Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu at a rally in Gairsain on Thursday.

Work on the important Rishikesh-Karnprayag railway line, officials informed, would start by 2016 end, while survey on the Tanakpur-Bagehshwar railway line in Kumaon would be initiated very soon.

The much-awaited 126-km long Rishikesh-Karnaprayag line would have 15 tunnels, 15 bridges and 10 railway stations.