DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand is set to receive a major infrastructure boost with the construction of the ‘General Staff Road’, which connects Gwaldam to Tapovan in the strategically important border district of Chamoli. The project will give a major push to tourism, officials said.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) will develop the road, which aims to enhance connectivity along India’s borders. The new road will also revitalise the historic Lord Curzon Trail, a trekking route developed by the British in the 1900s.
With its completion, the trail will be transformed into a motorable road, offering tourists a new attraction and locals improved access to markets and services, officials involved with the project said.
“The ministry of defence has approved the construction of a new road from Gwaldam to Tapovan (Joshimath), which will cross the famous Lord Curzon Trail as it continues beyond Baan. The total length of the road will be 99.2 kilometres, of which 60 kilometres have already been constructed by the public works department, while the remaining 39.2 kilometres will be built by the BRO,” an official said.
Speaking to this newspaper, Uttarakhand tourism and public works department minister Satpal Maharaj said, “The historic Lord Curzon Trail will be transformed into a motorable road. The Lord Curzon Trail, developed by British Viceroy Lord Curzon in the 1900s, was previously a trekking route but will now be transformed into a motorable road, offering tourists a new attraction.”
Maharaj said that the construction of this road is expected to boost local trade and tourism activities, contributing to the region’s economic growth.
“This road project is crucial for giving new direction to tourism in Chamoli district and Pinder Valley. The construction of the road will reduce the distance between Gwaldam and Tapovan, thereby improving traffic convenience,” said the tourism minister.
Yogendra Gangwar, joint director of the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board, highlighted the attraction of the Lord Curzon Trail. “Located in Chamoli district at an altitude of 4,156 metres above sea level, this trail is celebrated as an exceptional winter trek that winds through the renowned snow sports destination of Auli,” Gangwar told this newspaper.
The Lord Curzon Trail, also known as the Kuari Pass, serves as a vital link between the two picturesque valleys of Joshimath and Ghat. Trekkers get to see views of some of the Himalayas’ most majestic peaks, including Nanda Devi (7,817 m), Kamet (7,756 m), Dronagiri (7,066 m), Hathi Parvat (6,727 m), and Ghori Parvat (6,709 m).
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