Uttarakhand's Road Revolution: Dhami Seeks Nod for Key Highway Projects

Dhami participated in a review meeting on National Highway projects held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, under the chairmanship of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, the Chief Minister's office said in a press release.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister raised several important state-related issues concerning national highways and requested approval for key proposals, including the Rishikesh Bypass, Almora-Danya-Panar-Ghat road, Jyolikot-Khairna-Gairsain-Karnprayag road, and the Almora-Bageshwar-Kanda-Udiyari Bend road.

During discussions on the proposed road projects, it was noted that under National Highway No. 07, a four-lane Rishikesh Bypass is proposed from Teenpani via Yog Nagari to Kharasrot, with a length of 12.67 km and an estimated cost of Rs 1,161.27 crore. The project includes a 4.876 km elevated stretch for three elephant corridors, a 200-metre-long bridge over the Chandrabhaga River, and a 76-metre-long Road Over Bridge (ROB) at the railway portal. In addition, a 76-metre-long ROB is proposed at the Shyampur railway crossing at a cost of Rs 318 crore, which will enable uninterrupted traffic movement from Nepali Farm to Rishikesh Natraj Chowk.

For the Almora-Danya-Panar-Ghat road (NH-309B), a proposal has been made for two-lane widening over a 76 km stretch at an estimated cost of Rs 988 crore. Under National Highway No. 109, a two-lane widening alignment has been proposed for the 235 km-long Jyolikot-Khairna-Gairsain-Karnprayag road. Similarly, under National Highway No. 309A, works have been proposed for Packages 1, 2, and 5 of the Almora-Bageshwar-Kanda-Udiyari Bend road over a total length of 84.04 km at a cost of Rs 1,001.99 crore. The Government of India has already approved the forest land transfer proposal for the Kanda-Bageshwar section (Package-02).

The Chief Minister said that significant progress has been made in strengthening road infrastructure in Uttarakhand.

"The state's roads are not only boosting pilgrimage and tourism but are also strengthening industry, border security, disaster management, and the local economy. This transformation is not merely about road construction but is the result of visionary leadership and a clear development-oriented vision. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the continuous efforts of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Uttarakhand is rapidly moving forward on the path of development with a smooth, safe, modern, and future-ready road network," CM Dhami said.

To make the Char Dham Yatra smooth, accessible, and safe, the Char Dham Mahamarg Project worth Rs 12,769 crore has been approved on national highways. Uttarakhand has a total national highway network of 3,723 km, connecting the state with various parts of the country. Of this, around 597 km has been designed and implemented by NHAI, out of which more than 336 km of projects have been completed. Construction work on nearly 193 km of roads is currently underway, with an estimated cost exceeding Rs 15,890 crore. Through these projects, religious, urban, and industrial centers such as Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Rudrapur, Kashipur, Haldwani, and Kathgodam are being connected by wider, safer, and smoother roads. Four-lane corridors like Kashipur-Sitarganj (77 km), Rudrapur-Kathgodam (50 km), and Haridwar-Nagina (67 km) have significantly improved access to industrial areas, agricultural markets, and tourist destinations, the Chief Minister's office said.

Under the Delhi-Dehradun Corridor, a nearly 30 km-long six-lane access-controlled highway has been developed in the Ganeshpur-Dehradun section, including a tunnel and an 18 km-long elevated section, with an investment of over Rs 1,995 crore. In addition, projects such as the Dehradun Bypass (12 km, Rs 716 crore) and Haridwar Bypass (15 km, Rs 1,603 crore) will play an effective role in reducing traffic pressure in urban areas. Connectivity to the Banbasa ICP on the India-Nepal border is being developed over a length of 4 km at a cost of Rs 366 crore, which will boost international movement and trade. The Rudrapur-Kashipur Bypass and the Haridwar link to the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway are directly connecting Uttarakhand to the national expressway network.

Giving top priority to road safety, measures such as black spot improvement, access control at critical junctions, effective signage, and modern road safety systems are being implemented across the state. In mountainous regions, operation and maintenance projects are ensuring that roads remain safe and functional throughout the year. Keeping future requirements in mind, projects such as Mussoorie-Dehradun connectivity (40 km, Rs 4,000 crore), Haridwar-Haldwani High-Speed Corridor (197 km, Rs 10,000 crore), Rishikesh Bypass (13 km, Rs 1,200 crore), Dehradun Ring Road, and Lalkuan-Haldwani-Kathgodam Bypass are in the preparation and DPR stages. These projects will give fresh momentum to connectivity between the Garhwal and Kumaon regions. Considering environmental sensitivity, measures such as elevated roads, wildlife underpasses, and minimal land use are being adopted in areas like the Rajaji Tiger Reserve to maintain a balance between development and nature.

Civil work on the Silkyara-Polgaon Tunnel is nearly 90 percent complete. The construction of the central wall inside the tunnel will be completed within the next five to six months, following which electrical and mechanical works will begin. The project is targeted for completion by March 2027.

Nitin Gadkari said that appropriate action will be taken on the proposals submitted by Chief Minister Dhami. He directed officials to ensure that ongoing projects in the state are completed within the stipulated timelines while maintaining quality standards.

Union Minister of State Ajay Tamta, Harsh Malhotra, and senior officials from the concerned departments were present at the meeting.

- ANI