Source: Samvad News Agency | Bureau Report by amarujala.com
Dehradun:
Public Works and Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj announced that road expansion across Uttarakhand is being carried out in line with the vision of the statehood movement activists. He said that 5,700 km of unpaved (kachcha) roads have already been converted into paved ones, and under the National Highway program, 1,469 km of roads will be developed into double lanes. To reduce travel distances in hilly areas and ease traffic at sensitive locations, the state will also construct tunnels, ropeways, and underground corridors.
Maharaj emphasised that Uttarakhand’s development is progressing in line with the dreams of the state’s founders. At the time of the state’s formation, the total road length was 15,470 km, which has now increased to 43,765 km in 25 years. The government aims to further expand the network in the next 25 years. Under the Amritsar–Kolkata Industrial Corridor, the Nagla–Kichha road (10.60 km) will be upgraded from a double to a four-lane road.
Bypasses are also proposed in Haldwani, Khatima, Kathgodam, Asharodhi–ISBT Mohkampur (Dehradun), Lohaghat, Pithoragarh, Almora, Rishikesh, Gairsain–Karnaprayag, Gopeshwar, Agastmuni, Pauri, Srinagar, Ramnagar, Kotdwar, Haridwar, Lalkuan–Haldwani–Kathgodam, and Pantnagar.
Under the Manaskhand Mandir Mala Project, roads connecting 16 ancient temples of Kumaon will be widened and strengthened on the lines of the Char Dham project. With financial support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), 460 old Class-B load-bearing bridges across the state will be modernized and upgraded for heavy vehicles.
To ease traffic congestion in major districts, bypasses have already been constructed at several places including Nainital, Rudraprayag, Kashipur, and Haldwani.
Maharaj also shared that a 25-year roadmap for the Public Works Department (PWD) has been prepared. As part of the urban traffic management plan, ring roads will be built in all major cities and flyovers will be constructed at key intersections to make cities congestion-free. In Dehradun, land acquisition is currently underway for a 26-km elevated corridor over the Rispana and Bindal rivers to improve urban mobility and connectivity.