Uttarakhand@25: State marks milestone 25th year with green growth, digital push

Time of India

3 days ago

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Two and a half decades after its separation from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand is marking a remarkable journey of transformation, driven by roads. From just 8,000 km of roadways in 2000 to over 40,000 km today, the state has redefined connectivity, resilience, and sustainability.
In the latest episode of the Times of India's 'Uttarakhand @25' Administrative Officer Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey reflects on the state's transformation from 2000 to 2025.
'When we were separated from Uttar Pradesh, we made a lot of progress. If you compare it with Uttar Pradesh, we had 8000 km of roads in Uttarakhand in 2000. Now we have made 40,000 km,' Pandey said.
Uttarakhand@25: Dr Pankaj Kumar Pandey discusses Uttarakhand's infrastructure growth
Nearly all villages with populations over 250 are connected, facilitating access to healthcare, education, and markets.
Even remote hamlets are being linked under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, though smaller clusters remain pending, he said.
The 2013 Kedarnath disaster prompted a major shift toward building 'all-weather' roads. Led by Pandey and backed by the central government, around 900 km of highways, connecting the Chardham sites and areas along the Indo-China border, have since been upgraded to ensure they remain accessible throughout the year.
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"In Chardham, we took all the roads and a road from Tanakpur to Lipu Lake, which goes to the China border. We took it in this all-weather road," said Pandey.
Uttarakhand's forest cover has increased from 64% to over 70% in 25 years, despite heavy infrastructure investments. All projects undergo Environmental Impact Assessments, with alignment adjusted to preserve protected species like oak and Devdar. Notably, 3,000 trees were transplanted during a four‑lane highway upgrade near Rishikesh.
'We are connecting 16 big temples and will cover major towns and areas with a good road. We are connecting more than 40 villages in Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh and Champawat. We are connecting the villages where people used to move,' he said.
Pandey highlights the adoption of cutting-edge methods: cold‑mix technology to reduce air pollution, plastic‑bitumen blends for road durability, and Full‑Depth Reclamation to recycle road material.
Thin White Topping is used in water‑prone zones for long-term resilience.
"We are using cold mix in the mountains, so there is no pollution from cold mix, there is no smell, there is no smoke, there is no problem. We are using it very successfully," he said.
A digital DPR system with drone surveillance and soil‑stabilization techniques is deployed across 200 identified landslide zones. In critical areas, tunnels, such as those in Dhruvdhrupayag and near Lipu Lake, minimize ecological disruption and maintain connectivity.
"We have taken the whole system digitally. We have a digital DPR system, everything comes there," said Pandey.
Road development serves dual objectives: economic connectivity and security. Arterial roads and vibrant‑village projects link over 40 border villages and tourist circuits such as Lipulekh and Ganga‑Rishikesh. Ring roads and bypasses are in progress to alleviate congestion and support responsible tourism. Initiatives like plastic‑recycle plants and a ban on single‑use plastic at Char Dham are already in place.
Pandey concludes that the growth is people centric and environmentally conscious, marking Uttarakhand's quarter‑century milestone as the result of thoughtful governance and sustainable progress.