Rs 31 cr spent, Hill Bypass of no use under SC order

Sandeep Rawat

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 25

Amid a surge in the number of Kanwariyas visiting Haridwar, the Supreme Court order prohibiting traffic in the Rajaji Tiger Reserve has resulted in grave inconvenience to local residents as well as visitors. Under the SC order, vehicles can’t be plied on the Hill Bypass road as it falls under the Rajaji Tiger Reserve and the Haridwar Forest Division. The government had recently spent Rs 31 crore on the road for renovation and construction of bridges.

Traffic congestion is being witnessed on the National Highway 58 (Badrinath-Mana-Gaziabad) and NH 72 (Ambala-Dehradun-Haridwar). Over 1 crore Kanwariyas have already arrived in Haridwar.

The entry of heavy vehicles right from wee hours till 11 pm is banned in the city. Even then, it takes over two hours to pass through Chandi Ghat square, Har-ki-Pauri, Doodhadhari square, Shantikunj, Motichur, Raiwala and Nepali Farm crossing, whereas normally it doesn’t take over 40 minutes.

Earlier, the administration used to divert the Dehradun or Rishikesh bound vehicles through the Hill Bypass road that starts from Brahampur and passes through the mountain terrain of Mata Mansa Devi shrine before mingling with NH 58 at Khadkhadi-Doodhadhari square. But the Hill Bypass can’t be opened this time due to the apex court’s order.

District Magistrate Harbans Singh Chug said “The Hill Bypass road can’t be opened as there is strict guidelines of the apex court.” Traffic diversion plans were already chalked out by the Kanwar police.

Notably, the Hill Bypass has been used on a couple of occasions, including Ardh Kumbh. It was renovated for the mega fair at the cost of Rs 31 crore. Four big and small bridges were also constructed. During Maha Kumbh in 2010, the then Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank had allocated Rs 58.95 crore for renovation of the bypass.

Circle Officer (Traffic) Manisha Joshi said “From July 27, full-fledged Kanwar specific traffic plan will come into effect. The Roorkee-Haridwar-Dehradun highway will be made one way.”

She said Dak Kanwars (vehicle-borne Kanwariyas) would arrive in Haridwar soon so the traffic diversion plan had been chalked out to ensure one-way traffic for entry and exit.

Purushottam Sharma, OSD (Ardh Kumbh) to Chief Minister, said the apex court had prohibited traffic movement on the Hill Bypass due to environmental issues and directives of the National Green Tribunal.

A portion of the Hill Bypass had caved in on July 15 and 16 amid heavy rainfall, which had raised questions on the quality of the work done here.