DEHRADUN: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said the upcoming Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor would act as a key driver of Uttarakhand’s rapid economic transformation, marking a major boost to the state’s connectivity infrastructure.
Addressing a public gathering at Gadi Cantt in Dehradun, the minister said projects worth around Rs 1.30 lakh crore are currently being executed in the state with strong support from the Centre.
Focusing on immediate commuter relief, Gadkari announced that the 51-km six-lane stretch from the Saharanpur bypass to Haridwar is scheduled for inauguration in June. He added that the Rs 1,650-crore four-lane project connecting Paonta Sahib to Dehradun will be operational next month.
To address traffic congestion in pilgrimage centres, he said the Rs 1,600-crore Haridwar four-lane greenfield bypass (Phase 1) is expected to be completed by October 2026. The Centre has also approved a Rs 1,100-crore Rishikesh bypass project, with construction set to begin in August.
Outlining upcoming projects, the minister said a 21-km four-lane bypass in Rudrapur (Rs 1,050 crore) will be completed by October this year, while a 15-km four-lane bypass in Kashipur (Rs 936 crore) is scheduled for December 2026. A 12-km four-lane elevated road on the Dehradun–Jhajra–Asharodi stretch (Rs 716 crore) is due by April next year, and a 20-km four-lane route connecting Bhaniyawala, Jolly Grant and Rishikesh (Rs 745 crore) will be ready by April 2028. A detailed project report is also being prepared for a Rs 800-crore two-lane bypass in Srinagar.
Highlighting improved pilgrimage connectivity, Gadkari said the government is developing domestic routes to reduce dependence on foreign territories. Referring to the Mansarovar Yatra, he said a route from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh up to Lipulekh is being built at a cost of Rs 5,200 crore, of which 200 km of the 370-km stretch has already been completed.
He added that work on the Rs 12,000-crore, 825-km Char Dham project is progressing steadily, with 640 km already completed.
The minister also said the government is focusing on ropeway projects, including the Sonprayag–Kedarnath and Govindghat–Hemkund Sahib routes, along with multiple tunnel projects to ensure all-weather connectivity across Uttarakhand’s mountainous terrain.