By Satvik Bansal
In 2000, Dehradun became the fast-growing capital of Uttarakhand. It was known for something far more beautiful and sustainable – its vast and thoughtfully designed canal system. These canals, many of which still lie buried under roads and colonies today, were first commissioned under the rule of Rani Karnavati of Garhwal in the 17th century, long before the British arrived. Later, the British expanded this system for irrigation, particularly to support tea cultivation and agriculture in the fertile Doon Valley. The most prominent among them, the Rajpur Canal, starts from the base of the Mussoorie hills near Malsi, where it collects water from natural mountain springs. From there, it flows down through Rajpur village, crosses EC Road and Dalanwala, passes near the Survey of India, and originally spreads into multiple branches feeding the fields of the valley. The canal system was a masterpiece of early urban planning in terms of gravity-fed, sustainable, and integrated naturally into the city’s layout. The water channels helped cool the city, maintain its lush greenery, and recharge the groundwater table. They were also a part of daily life.
My own mother remembers how, during her childhood, a clean canal ran alongside East Canal Road, and she and her friends would play in the shallow flowing water, enjoying the simplicity and closeness to nature. Unfortunately, that canal has vanished – either buried, encroached upon, or transformed into a sewage drain, like many others across the city. Today, Dehradun is struggling with rapid urbanisation, haphazard construction, and declining groundwater levels. Ironically, in the name of becoming “modern”, the city destroyed the very systems that once made it resilient and liveable. What was once a naturally air-conditioned, self-sustaining city has now become overheated, dusty, and choked with traffic and pollution. There has been almost no integration of historic water systems in today’s city planning, and no serious effort to revive the canals as functional assets.
In this situation, I remember the words of Karan Kapoor, who is a Youth Activist and President of MAD, “The authorities tried to make Dehradun into Delhi, but ended up making it Meerut.” That quote sums up the heartbreaking transformation of Dehradun. The canals were never just about water, they were the veins of the city, carrying not only resources but also culture, history, and life itself. To let them fade away is not just poor planning but it’s a loss of identity.
(Satvik Bansal is Founder & CEO, The MultiMedia Store)
