The Haridwar-Dehra line, which was the continuation of the branch line of Oudh and Rohilkhand Railway from Laksar on the main line to Haridwar, was opened in 1900. Dehradun was the terminus of this long line. The railway track between Haridwar and Dehradun was sanctioned on 18 November 1896. It was constructed between 1897-1899, and was opened for rail traffic on 01 March 1900. The construction of the railway station had a huge impact on the town of Dehra. Pensioners, Europian settlers and several other people were attaracted to the town due to its pleasant climate. The railway line provided them easy connectivity to other parts of India. The railway line was also responsible for the steep increase in the export of Rice, timber and limestone from the town. There were plans to further extend railway services from this railway station to Mussoorie. The first attempt in this regard was made in 1896 but could not succeed. The project was initiated again in 1921, when the Mussoorie Electric Tramway Company Ltd was formed to set up a tram line from Dehradun to Mussoorie. The tram line was to start from the railway station and reach Mussoorie passing through Rajpur road, Dilaram Bazaar, Rajpur, Makherti, Oak-Grove, Fairlawn and Barlowganj. Work began and two stations were built on the line: one in Dilaram Bazaar and another near Parade Ground. The project was then scheduled to be completed by 1925 at an estimated cost of Rs 36 lakh, however the prices were expected to come down by 30 to 40% due to a steep fall in iron and steel prices at that time. But the tunnel at Jharipani is supposed to have caved in, killing a few workers. This combined with political unrest and the alleged embezzlement of funds by company officials eventually lead to the project being abandoned.
Renovation
The station was renovated in 2019-20, when re-modelling of the station complex and construction of additional platforms was undertaken. The station was closed on 10 November 2019 and was then reopened on 08 Feb 2020. During this period, the Dehradun-bound trains used to terminate either at Haridwar or at Harrawala, about 12 km from the city. Various signages and maps were also introduced in Braille in order to make the station friendly for visually challenged persons.
