*Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari presents details of development projects*
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Mr. Nitin Gadkari, stated in his address that the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor will provide a new impetus to Uttarakhand’s development. He stated that with the support of the central government, work is underway on projects worth approximately ₹1.3 lakh crore (approximately ₹1.3 lakh crore) in Uttarakhand.
Mr. Gadkari stated that the 51-kilometer six-lane road from Saharanpur Bypass to Haridwar is scheduled to be inaugurated in June. Similarly, the four-lane Paonta Sahib-Dehradun road, costing ₹1,650 crore (approximately ₹1,650 crore), will be operational by next month. The four-lane greenfield bypass in Haridwar, Phase 1, costing ₹1,600 crore (approximately ₹1,600 crore), will be completed by October 2026, solving traffic congestion between Haridwar and Rishikesh. The central government has also approved the ₹1,100 crore Rishikesh Bypass project, work on which will begin by August.
He said that the 21-km-long four-lane bypass in Rudrapur, costing ₹1,050 crore, will be completed in October this year, and the 15-km-long four-lane bypass in Kashipur, costing ₹936 crore, will be completed in December 2026. The 12-km-long Dehradun-Jhajhra-Asharodi four-lane elevated road, costing ₹716 crore, will be completed in April next year, and the 20-km-long four-lane road from Bhaniyawala, Jolly Grant, to Rishikesh, costing ₹745 crore, will be completed by April 2028. A DPR for a two-lane bypass in Srinagar, costing ₹800 crore, is also being prepared.
He said that previously, we had to travel through Nepal and China to visit Mansarovar. Now, a road is being built to Lipulekh via Tanakpur-Pithoragarh at a cost of ₹5,200 crore. Of this 370-km project, approximately 200 km will be completed. Similarly, 640 km of the 825 km long Chardham road project, being constructed at a cost of ₹12,000 crore, has been completed. Work on the ₹1,300 crore stretch from Rudraprayag to Gaurikund will commence by December 2026. Additionally, 142 km of the Gangotri Dham route has been completed, and the remaining 100 km is being progressed in phases. At Yamunotri, 46 km of the Dharasu to Yamunotri stretch, costing ₹2,500 crore, has been completed, and 30 km will be completed by April 2028. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari stated that the central government is also working on the Sonprayag-Kedarnath ropeway and the Govindghat to Hemkund Sahib route. Tunnels are also being constructed at several locations in the state.