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Time of India
14-06-2025
- Time of India
Construction in Khalganga reserve forest sparks eco alarm in Doon
1 2 3 4 5 6 Dehradun: A gate was erected deep inside Khalanga reserve forest, causing concern among locals and environmentalists that commercial activity might soon follow. They warned the construction could damage the ecosystem, raise encroachment issues, and require forest offence act enforcement. By Saturday evening, a count by the forest department revealed that 22 trees and saplings had been affected during the construction activities. Activists have also called for a protest on Sunday at the spot. Colonel Vikram Singh Thapa, an area resident, said the video showed a gate placed deep in the reserve following which many locals reached the spot. In the video, a local woman was seen questioning the contractor who claimed that the land belonged to a man from Rishikesh and that workers were marking and fencing the 40 bigha plot for a future campsite. Thapa said local activists plan to file a complaint and have asked forest and revenue department officials to investigate the apparent sale of forest land. Eco-activist Sanjeev Srivastava said, "The property is surrounded by forest and dense Sal trees. No construction activity should have happened without permission, and if commercial activities start in the reserve forest, there will be no stopping them going ahead. Ideally, forest department should take back control of the land and provide due compensation to preserve the whole area." Mussoorie divisional forest officer Amit Kanwar said that following social media complaints, officials inspected the site and verified ownership with the revenue department. "Supreme Court guidelines make clear that even privately owned land within forest boundaries remains forest land, so commercial activity is prohibited there. A ground survey is under way to assess tree clearance, after which the department will take action under the forest offence act and serve notice to the owner," he said Forest department officials said the work was halted immediately on Friday evening after it was found to be taking place without permission. The department has written to the district administration seeking clarity on the boundary demarcation of the non-reserved plot. A case has also been registered against the landowner under the Tree Protection Act, 1976, for multiple forest offences, and he has been directed to restore the damaged forest land. On the orders of the divisional forest officer, a special patrolling team has been deployed to prevent such incidents from recurring in the Khalanga reserve forest. Eco-activists have demanded an immediate halt to all work and for the area to be restored. Meanwhile, social activist Anoop Nautiyal cautioned, "If such green dacoity can happen only 30 minutes away from the Clock Tower, we cannot even begin to imagine the destruction in remote corners of the state." The Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority released a statement saying that inspections found no plots had been demarcated. In addition to its ecological value, Khalanga reserve forest holds significance for the Gorkha community and contains the Khalanga war memorial. This marks the 1814 Battle of Nalapani, when a small Gorkha force defended the Khalanga fort against a much larger British army. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .
Time of India
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Joshimath lessons ignored: Rs 6,200cr Doon–Mussoorie elevated road may trigger another ecological disaster
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.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Mussoorie Dehradun development body to identify land bank for residential projects
DEHRADUN : In the 111th board meeting of the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority ( MDDA ) held on Thursday, the civic body decided to identify a land bank for upcoming residential projects. This move was prompted by the rising population density and the success of previous initiatives such as the ISBT and Aamwala Tarla residential schemes. Over 75 proposals were presented to the board, the majority of which concerned commercial construction, including hotels, eco-resorts, and residential map issues. "A budget of Rs 1,000 crore was proposed for the financial year 2025-26," said VC Bansidhar Tiwari . Additionally, the authority resolved to secure land specifically for new residential developments to address the growing demand for affordable housing, particularly for populations displaced by encroachment drives. The meeting also reviewed ongoing MDDA projects, including the Arhat market relocation and the ISBT takeover. The board also approved land pooling initiatives to support the establishment of IT companies and boost industrial growth.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
MDDA to identify land bank for residential projects
Dehradun: In the 111th board meeting of the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) held on Thursday, the civic body decided to identify a land bank for upcoming residential projects. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This move was prompted by the rising population density and the success of previous initiatives such as the ISBT and Aamwala Tarla residential schemes. Over 75 proposals were presented to the board, the majority of which concerned commercial construction, including hotels, eco-resorts, and residential map issues. "A budget of Rs 1,000 crore was proposed for the financial year 2025-26," said VC Bansidhar Tiwari. Additionally, the authority resolved to secure land specifically for new residential developments to address the growing demand for affordable housing, particularly for populations displaced by encroachment drives. The meeting also reviewed ongoing MDDA projects, including the Arhat market relocation and the ISBT takeover. The board also approved land pooling initiatives to support the establishment of IT companies and boost industrial growth.
New Indian Express
18-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Mussoorie to get direct link via elevated road from Delhi; 2,614 houses to be demolished for Rs 6,100 crore project
DEHRADUN: Mussoorie, registered as the 'Queen of the Hills' on India's tourism map, is set to become significantly more accessible from Delhi and across the country in the near future. The upcoming elevated road project on the Delhi-Dehradun Expressway will reduce overload, allowing vehicles to reach Mussoorie directly. This project will also bring relief from traffic congestion for the residents of Dehradun city. Banshidhar Tiwari, Vice-Chairman of the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA), confirmed to this newspaper, "Land acquisition will be carried out in 26 localities to build the 26 km long elevated road in Dehradun. Land will be acquired by demolishing 2,614 houses built along the banks of the Rispana and Bindal rivers." Officials associated with the project anticipate a significant reduction in travel time, stating, "Once the project becomes operational, tourists traveling from Delhi to Mussoorie will be able to reach their destination in just four hours by their own vehicle." The elevated road, which will cost Rs 6,100 crore, involves land acquisition for which property owners will receive compensation. According to government sources, no proposal for providing land-for-land compensation to property owners in lieu of acquired land has been prepared at the state government level so far. The district administration considers it likely that only monetary compensation will be provided to property owners for land acquisition. Sources revealed that the administration is proceeding on the assumption that affected individuals will receive compensation for their land, particularly since the proposed land bank has not been inspected and no progress has been made on a new one.
