The road to a Himalayan blunder

Context: The Char Dham road project is an ambitious attempt to widen nearly 900 kilometres of hill roads at the cost of Rs.12,000 crore.

Significance of the Char Dham Road Project

• National/Border Security: The project is essential to back up troop and arms movement towards the India-China border. 
• Citizens concern: Stress on the need for a regulated and narrower intermediate road width with a walking footpath.
• Tourism revenue: All-weather connectivity to the four major shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath with Government intend to install toll booths to levy tax on visitors.

Challenges

• Tragic incidents in the hills of Uttarakhand: Rampant construction over decades and its complex interaction with climate change has led to massive landslides and floods in the fragile Himalayan range.
• Floods in the Dhauli Ganga, Rishi Ganga and Alaknanda rivers this year claimed over 200 lives.
• During the monsoons, owing to the massive hill-cutting for the Char Dham road project, several landslides have occurred in the region.
• Terrain of Uttarakhand: Valleys in Uttarakhand are narrow and close-ended with steep slopes of 60-70 degrees compared to Ladakh’s which has a slope elevation of 30 degrees.
• Any human-induced change beyond the Himalayas’ carrying capacity will have an impact on stream run-offs and erosional or depositional processes.
• Regulating MoRTH guidelines: March 2018 guidelines issued by the MoRTH for mountain highways, which set a standard specification of a carriageway width of 5.5m with two-lane structures.

Way Forward 

• SC Committee recommendations: An intermediate road width of 5.5m tarred surface which facilitates easy bilateral movement, with a 1.5m walking footpath, which pilgrims and residents of the valley need. Formation width of this design is the same as that proposed by the MoD.
• Upheld the MoRTH guidelines: The March 2018 guidelines issued by the MoRTH for mountain highways should be maintained in order to protect the fragile mountains.
• Environment Impact Assessment: Prevention and regulation of activities seem to be the only effective way of mitigation in the fragile mountains of Himalayas.

Conclusion: If the government does not desist from widening the roads under Char Dham road project, it will be a Himalayan blunder. 

==========================================================================================