(a) the funds allocated for all weather road projects under Char Dham programme and the length of roads earmarked for this purpose;
(b) whether there is any dispute/litigation regarding the said project;
(c) if so, the details thereof and the steps being taken by the Government for early disposal of the said dispute/litigations;
(d) whether any revised time frame is set for completion of the said project; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
THE MINISTER OF ROAD TRANSPORT AND HIGHWAYS
(SHRI NITIN JAIRAM GADKARI)
(a) The total estimated cost for the Char Dham programme is Rs. 11,700 crores and the total length of the roads earmarked for the Char Dham programme is 889 km.
(b) & (c) Yes Sir. A petition was filed by Citizens for Green Doon, Uttarakhand in the Hon’ble National Green Tribunal (NGT) in February, 2018 alleging that the projects under Char Dham programme require Environmental Clearance as per EIA Notification 2006 and its amendments and the same has not been obtained. The matter was disposed off by the Hon’ble NGT vide order dated 26.09.2018, which has now been challenged by the petitioner before the Hon’ble Supreme Court. Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has been defending the case before the Hon’ble Supreme Court and the next date of hearing in this matter is on 17.07.2019. Apart from this, residents of some villages have filed cases in the Hon’ble High Court, Nainital on land acquisition related issues. Majority of these cases have been disposed off by the Hon’ble High Court. For remaining cases, urgency applications have been filed by the State Government before the Hon’ble High Court for their early disposal.
(d) & (e) The Char Dham programme was initially scheduled for completion by March, 2020. However, the programme has been delayed due to litigation related to forest and environment clearance and because the section from Dharasu bend to Gangotri (94km) lies under Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone on which works can be taken up only after approval of Master plan by Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC). The date of completion of the programme depends on the final outcome of the ongoing litigation and approval of Master plan for Bhagirathi Eco-Sensitive Zone by MoEF&CC.
*****