Dehradun-Delhi express corridor closer to reality after NGT approval

The dream of completing Dehradun-Delhi journey in under 3 hours seems to be taking shape. The path to construct Dehradun-Delhi Expressway has now been completely cleared. There were some obstacles in the middle of the construction of Dehradun-Delhi Expressway, which have now been removed. After getting the green signal for this project by the Wildlife Board of India, now the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has also given its approval. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has approved the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, which has given a boom to the economy of Uttarakhand. However, the NGT has approved it only on certain conditions. The condition is that the environment should not be harmed during the construction of this road and the wildlife corridor should not be obstructed. Only last week, the NGT approved the construction of the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor Expressway. Along with approving the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway, the NGT has also put certain conditions.

The tribunal has constituted a 12-member committee, which will ensure that the debris generated during the construction of this high-speed road is properly disposed and does not cause damage to the environment due to the expressway or the Ganeshpur-Dehradun road (NH-72A). Along with this the wildlife corridor should also not be obstructed. A bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Adarsh ​​Kumar Goel, Justice Sudhir Agrawal and expert member Dr. Nagin Nanda made important remarks before approving this expressway, saying that during the construction of this expressway there should be minimum damage to the environment. It will be taken care of. NGT has entrusted the task of monitoring the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The NGT has asked the authority that the construction of expressways should be eco-friendly and do not harm the environment. For this monitoring, NGT has constituted a 12-member expert panel. It will be headed by the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand. This expressway, which will give a new dimension to the economy of Uttarakhand, will increase the economic speed of the state, as well as reduce the distance from Delhi to Dehradun to just 2.30 to 3 hours.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started construction works worth Rs 18,000 crore in Uttarakhand on December 4 last year. In which the foundation stone of Delhi-Dehradun Expressway was laid. The journey of several hours from Dehradun to Delhi will now be reduced to only two and a half hours due to this expressway. This expressway will connect Dehradun to Saharanpur via Shamli and Baghpat and then to Delhi. A 180 km long expressway is to be built from Dehradun to Delhi and the construction work of this expressway will start within 3 months. By January 2023, this six-lane expressway from Akshardham to Eastern Peripheral Baghpat Border will be ready, after which the distance from Dehradun to Delhi will be reduced. 1065 crore will be spent in the first phase of construction of this entire expressway and Rs 1325 crore in the second phase.