Joshimath lessons ignored: Rs 6,200cr Doon–Mussoorie elevated road may trigger another ecological disaster

Time of India

2 days ago

Dr Rakesh Kapoor, a former special secretary to the government of Himachal Pradesh, is a geologist and an expert in integrated waste management
The environmental casualties in Uttarakhand are now perhaps part of life. We haven't learnt lessons from the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy—Rishiganga, Joshimath, and Silkyara are happening repetitively. Cloudbursts and landslides have become common features. From hills to plains, the story is the same: unplanned growth, projects being conceived and implemented without envisioning the fear of environmental catastrophes.
The proposal to widen VIP Road from Dila Ram Chowk to Raj Bhawan, taking a toll of 3,000 trees, and the proposed road from Rishikesh to Dehradun have been partially stalled only after thousands of citizens and environmentalists gathered to protest. The fire has still not been extinguished, but a new controversial chapter of an elevated road from Dehradun to Mussoorie—to cut travel time for tourists entering the hill state from Delhi-NCR and Western UP—has been opened.
Even after a casual gaze at the proposal, it is clear that it has been mooted only with the aim of minting money through contracts. Because even today, the agency is not clear about who will finance and execute the proposal. It has raised more questions than it has answered on vital issues concerning environmental degradation, rehabilitation, and the real benefit of the project.
Firstly, what is the real need for an elevated 26 km road corridor passing through part of Dehradun city? Is it just to save time for tourists from Delhi-NCR reaching Mussoorie and to attract more tourists to the Queen of Hills, especially on weekends?
How much time are they going to save? At what cost is it going to be?
Secondly, the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) and government either do not know or do not want to disclose the position of the land bank, ie the status of land—whether it is encroached upon by dwellers, government, forest, or private land—on which the project is to be implemented.
If for a 26 km elevated road, 2,614 identified families are to be displaced, it comes out to be 100 families per km, or 1 family per 10 metres. Without assessing the implication of the plan cost—besides environmental cost assessment and its inclusion into the project cost—how is it going to be implemented?
The government sources have confirmed that no proposal for providing land-for-land compensation to property owners instead of acquired land has been prepared at the state government level so far. The reported dichotomic brief of the MDDA VC in a section of the press is creating more confusion, as it envisages that the displaced 2,614 identified families shall have two options—either land-for-land or monetary compensation. When no plan has been finalised, neither the land bank nor site for allotment of land to rehabilitate displaced families has been demarcated, nor is there a Section 4 notification on land acquisition prescribed under the Act, despite it being mandatory—how will the displaced families exercise the option?
Now comes a very vital point. The town of Mussoorie, during normal weekends, sees the entry of 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles, especially during the summer months, ie end of March to June, which causes traffic jams for hours together and chaotic situations often. Once the elevated road comes up, another 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles are going to be added to this lot. The town, as per reports, has parking capacity of only 2,000 four-wheelers and 1,500–2,000 two-wheelers altogether. The three new parking lots to add 2,000 to the present capacity are still hanging in the fire—either due to financial crunch or facing litigation since 2019.
Now comes the most vital part of the project. The very foundation of the so-called Rs 6,200 crore project is belied by simple arithmetic. No denying the fact that even today, the Volvo buses plying between Delhi and Dehradun take just 270 to 275 minutes, despite the Dehradun–Delhi expressway not being fully operational. If you add another 60 minutes to reach Mussoorie via the bypass, anybody can reach it in 5 hours and 30 minutes even today.
Even after the 26 km elevated road, traffic jams are bound to happen in the absence of parking spaces for the additional 4,000 to 5,000 vehicles entering Mussoorie. If tourists have to spend 2–3 hours in traffic jams, what's the point of arriving 30 minutes earlier?
The Dehradun–Mussoorie ropeway project—aimed at finding a solution to the problem of traffic jams with just Rs 300 crore investment (which is in an advanced stage of execution as per the government's own claim)—shall not only save time, reduce environmental pollution, and add adventure to the journey for tourists, but also serve as an additional attraction. It seems more credible.
The claim of making tourists reach Mussoorie in 4.5 hours from Delhi is belied by the project's design itself. As the elevated road Bindal–Rispna corridor shall land at a point near Max Hospital.
Don't spread this misinformation about Delhi to Mussoorie in 2.5 hours. It will still take you about 7-odd hours with all these expressways and elevated corridors, assuming normal traffic flows.
Let's take this example: you stay in GK or Model Town in Delhi and are coming to Uttarakhand:
60 minutes from your home to Akshardham, Delhi. 150 minutes from Akshardham to Asarodi, Dehradun (as claimed by the government). 30 minutes from Asarodi to the entry point of the new elevated corridors (assumed). 30 minutes on 26 km elevated corridors (once they are ready). 60 minutes from Max Hospital or Nagal in Dehradun to Mussoorie (Max & Nagal are points in Dehradun where the elevated corridor ends).
You will also likely take a minimum of two breaks during this long journey. Add another 60 minutes for your breaks.
The grand total is coming close to 6.5 to 7 hours.
Today, without all these expressways and corridors, you are still reaching in about 7 to 8 hours.
If there is just one hour of time saving, is it worth it to cut thousands of trees, create these mammoth monsters of cement, kill our rivers forever, ruin the skyline of Dehradun, and displace so many people? Why this fuss?
The project is going to be an environmental and ecological disaster—besides being pound-foolish, penny-wise. We are going to add another Joshimath to the list. In Rs 6,200 crore, another hill town nearby could be developed for tourism purposes—if only that is the consideration.
But it's beyond that—what we actually want and what we really need.
Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author's own.