In view of security concerns, SC allows double laning of Chardham road project

The Supreme Court also constituted a committee, headed by former Supreme Court judge AK Sikri, to ensure that all remedial measures are taken in the interest of the environment and the recommendations of the committee are implemented while going ahead with the project.

The monitoring committee will have full cooperation of the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Road Transport, Government of Uttarakhand and all the District Magistrates.

Seeking to address the concerns of landslides in the Himalayan regions due to the construction of the Comprehensive Chardham Highway Project, the government said that all necessary steps have been taken to mitigate the disaster and that landslides have occurred in various parts of the country and Not particularly. to road construction.

The Center had earlier told the Supreme Court that if the Army cannot take its missile launchers, heavy machinery to the northern India-China border, how will it defend it and if it breaks down, how will it fight the war.

The court was hearing the Centre’s plea seeking modification of its September 8, 2020 order, asking the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to comply with the 2018 circular on the ambitious Chardham Highway Project stipulating carriageway width is 5.5 metres. was asked to. to the border with China.

In its application, the MoD had said that it wants amendments to the order and directions that national highways from Rishikesh to Mana, from Rishikesh to Gangotri and from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh be developed in a two-lane configuration.

Strategic 900 km long Chardham project worth 12,000 crore target is to provide all-weather connectivity to the four holy cities of Uttarakhand – Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.