Union minister for road transports and highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said that projects worth ₹1.3 lakh crore are currently underway in Uttarakhand with the support of the Central government.
Gadkari while speaking at the inauguration of Delhi-Dehradun expressway said the project will provide a new impetus to development in the state.
“With the assistance of the Central government, work is currently in progress on projects worth approximately ₹1,30,000 crore in Uttarakhand,” Gadkari said.
He said that a 51-km six-lane road stretch from Saharanpur bypass to Haridwar is scheduled to be inaugurated in June, while a four-lane road connecting Paonta Sahib to Dehradun at a cost of ₹1,650 crore, is expected to become operational next month.
Gadkari said, “The first phase of the four-lane Greenfield bypass in Haridwar, costing ₹1,600 crore, is slated for completion by October 2026 and is expected to ease traffic congestion for travellers heading to Haridwar and Rishikesh. The Centre has also approved the ₹1,100-crore Rishikesh bypass project, with work expected to begin by August.
A 21-km-long four-lane bypass in Rudrapur, at a cost of ₹1,050 crore, is scheduled for completion by October this year, while the 15-km-long four-lane bypass in Kashipur, costing ₹936 crore, is likely to be completed by December 2026, he said.
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“A 12-km four-lane elevated road connecting Dehradun, Jhajra and Asharodi, at a cost of ₹716 crore, is expected to be completed by April next year. The 20-km four-lane road from Bhaniawala and Jolly Grant to Rishikesh, costing ₹745 crore, is also expected to be completed by April 2028.
“A detailed project report (DPR) is being prepared for a two-lane bypass in Srinagar, Pauri, at an estimated cost of ₹800 crore.”
Referring to pilgrimage routes, he said, “A road from Tanakpur to Lipulekh Pass via Pithoragarh is being constructed at a cost of ₹5,200 crore to facilitate travel for pilgrims visiting Mount Kailash and Lake Mansarovar. Of the 370-km project, work on nearly 200 km has already been completed.
“Under the ₹12,000-crore Char Dham Road Project, about 640 km of the total 825-km stretch has been completed. Work on the road between Rudraprayag and Gaurikund, estimated at ₹1,300 crore, is expected to start by December 2026.
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“For the Gangotri Dham route, work on a 142-km stretch has been completed, while the remaining 100 km is being executed in phases. On the Yamunotri Dham route, the 46-km stretch from Dharasu has been completed at a cost of ₹2,500 crore, and the remaining 30 km is expected to be finished by April 2028.”
Gadkari also said the Central government is working on ropeway projects connecting Sonprayag to Kedarnath and Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib, along with several tunnel projects across the state.
Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor is Asia’s longest elevated wildlife corridor and that it will boost connectivity and economic growth in the region.
Dhami added Prime Minister Narendra Modi had described the third decade of the 21st century as the “decade of Uttarakhand” and highlighted initiatives such as declaring Mana village as the “first village of the nation”, promoting the message of “Wed in Uttarakhand”, and boosting winter tourism in Harsil and Mukhba.
Earlier during the ceremony, Dhami presented PM Modi with a commemorative memento inspired by the Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra, featuring artistic depictions of the palanquin of Maa Nanda, the Khadu (sacrificial ram) leading the procession and devotees participating in the pilgrimage.
