Delhi: Big news for Uttarakhand – Supreme Court gives green signal to Char Dham project, clearing the way for making double lane highway

-To ensure all remedial measures in the interest of environment, an inspection committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Justice AK Sikri was also constituted.

Delhi : Indeed, this is big news not only for Uttarakhand but for whole country. The Central Government’s Char Dham project has got the green signal of the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court has allowed the widening of the road in the all-weather highway project, paving the way for the construction of a double-lane highway. An Inspection Committee headed by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice AK Sikri has also been constituted to ensure that all remedial measures are taken in the interest of environment.

The court, while hearing the matter, said that the Ministry of Defense has no ill-will in increasing the width of the road for the highway. The court cannot foresee the infrastructural needs of the armed forces. Significantly, on November 11, in the matter of increasing the width of the road in the Chardham project, the Supreme Court had reserved the decision after hearing in detail. The decision was reserved after hearing the arguments of the Center and the petitioner. The Supreme Court had asked both the parties to give written suggestions in two days. The Supreme Court had to decide whether the width of the road can be increased in the Char Dham All Weather Highway project of about 900 km.

The central government has sought amendment to the Supreme Court’s September 2020 order limiting the width of Chardham roads to 5.5 metres. The Center says that as these are feeder roads for the border roads leading to the India-China Line of Actual Control, they should be allowed to widen by 10 metres.