Garhwal Post Bureau
New Delhi, 5 Jan: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in a review meeting on National Highway projects chaired by Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today. During the meeting, the CM strongly pressed for early approval of several key road projects proposed by Uttarakhand. Raising a series of important issues related to National Highways, the CM sought immediate clearances for major connectivity projects, including the Rishikesh Bypass, the Almora–Danya–Panar Ghat road, the Jyolikot–Khairna–Gairsain–Karnaprayag road, and the Almora–Bageshwar–Kanda–Udiyari Bend Road.
During detailed discussions on the proposed infrastructure projects, it was stated that the Rishikesh Bypass under National Highway-07 envisages the construction of a 12.67 km long four-lane bypass from Teenpani to Kharasrot via Yoganagari, at an estimated cost of Rs 1161.27 crores. The project includes a 4.876 km long elevated road for the Teen Hathi Corridor, a 200-metre bridge over the Chandrabhaga River and a 76-metre Railway Overbridge at the railway portal. In addition, a separate 76-metre Railway Over Bridge costing Rs 318 crores has been proposed at the Shampur railway crossing to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow from Nepali Farm to Rishikesh Natraj Chowk.
Other proposals presented at the meeting included two-lane widening of a 76 km stretch of the Almora–Danya–Panar Ghat road under National Highway-309B at an estimated cost of Rs 988 crore. For the Jyolikot–Khairna–Gairsain–Karnaprayag route on National Highway-109, an alignment proposal has been prepared for two-lane widening over a length of 235 kms. Under the Almora–Bageshwar–Kanda–Udiyari Bend route on National Highway-309A, works covering a total length of 84.04 km under packages 1, 2 and 5 have been proposed at a cost of Rs 1001.99 crores. It was also informed that the Government of India has already approved the forest land transfer proposal for the Kanda to Bageshwar section under Package-02.
Addressing the meeting, Dhami said that remarkable progress has been made in the development of road infrastructure in Uttarakhand. He stated that the expanding road network is not only promoting pilgrimage and tourism but is also strengthening industry, border security, disaster management and the local economy. He attributed this transformation to a clear vision and effective leadership, adding that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the sustained efforts of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Uttarakhand is moving rapidly towards a future-ready road network that is accessible, safe and modern.
It was further shared at the meeting that, to ensure a smooth and safe Char Dham Yatra, the Rs 12,769 crores Char Dham Mahamarg project has been approved. Uttarakhand presently has a National Highway network of 3,723 kms, connecting the state to various parts of the country. Of this, around 597 kms have been designed and implemented by the National Highways Authority of India, with over 336 kms already completed. Construction work is underway on about 193 kms of roads at an estimated cost exceeding Rs 15,890 crores. These projects have significantly improved connectivity to major religious, urban and industrial centres such as Haridwar, Rishikesh, Dehradun, Rudrapur, Kashipur, Haldwani and Kathgodam through wider and safer roads. Access to industrial areas and agricultural markets has also improved through four-lane corridors including Kashipur–Sitarganj spanning 77 km, Rudrapur–Kathgodam covering 50 km and Haridwar–Nagina stretching over 67 km.
During the meeting it was reminded that under the Delhi–Dehradun Corridor, a 30 km long six-lane access-controlled highway has been developed in the Ganeshpur–Dehradun section, featuring a tunnel and an 18 km elevated stretch, involving an investment of over Rs 1995 crores. Projects such as the Dehradun Bypass of 12 km at a cost of Rs 716 crore and the Haridwar Bypass of 15 km costing Rs 1603 crore are expected to significantly ease traffic congestion in urban areas. It was also shared that connectivity to the Banbasa Integrated Check Post on the Indo-Nepal border is being developed over a 4 km stretch with an investment of Rs 366 crore to promote international trade. At the same time, the Rudrapur–Kashipur Bypass and the Haridwar to Delhi–Dehradun Expressway are directly linking Uttarakhand to the national expressway network.
The CM insisted that the road safety has been flagged as a key priority and that in this regard, the state is implementing black spot rectification measures, access control at critical junctions, effective signage and modern safety interventions. Dedicated maintenance projects have also been established to ensure that roads in mountainous regions remain safe and operational throughout the year. Looking ahead, projects such as Mussoorie–Dehradun connectivity over 40 km costing Rs 4,000 crores, the Haridwar–Haldwani high-speed corridor spanning 197 km with an estimated cost of Rs 10,000 crores, the Rishikesh Bypass of about 13 km costing Rs 1,200 crore, the Dehradun Ring Road and the Lalkuan–Haldwani–Kathgodam Bypass are currently at the preparation and DPR stages. These projects are expected to provide fresh momentum to connectivity between the Garhwal and Kumaon regions. It was claimed that to maintain ecological balance, provisions such as elevated roads and wildlife underpasses are being incorporated in sensitive zones, including the Rajaji Tiger Reserve.
It was also shared that the 90 percent of the civil work on the Silkyara–Polgaon tunnel has been completed so far. Construction of the central partition wall inside the tunnel is expected to be completed within five to six months, after which electrical and mechanical works will be taken up. The entire project is targeted for completion by March 2027.
In the meeting, Gadkari assured that appropriate action would be taken on the proposals submitted by the CM and directed officials to ensure that ongoing projects in Uttarakhand are completed within stipulated timelines while maintaining high quality standards. Among those present at the meeting were Union Ministers of State Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra, along with senior officials from departments concerned.
