Boost to defence! SC allows Centre to widen Char Dham roads in view of security concerns at Indo-China border
14 Dec 2021 13:34:27
New Delhi, Dec 13: Citing the reason of the security concern at the Indo-China border, the Supreme Court on Tuesday allowed the Central government to construct three double-lane strategic highways for the Char Dham road project in Uttarakhand.
A three-judge Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and Vikram Nath ruledout the judgment saying the recent past has thrown serious challenges to national security. The 900-km Chardham highway project will provide all-weather connectivity to four holy towns in Uttarakhand -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath.
The court also constituted a committee to be led by former SC judge AK Sikri to report directly to ensure that all remedial measures are taken in the interest of the environment and that the relevant recommendation of the high-powered committee is implemented while going ahead with the project. The committee will receive all support from the ministries of Defence and Road Transport, the Uttarakhand Government, and all-district magistrates.
This committee, which will submit a report every four months, will also have representatives from the National Environmental Research Institute and the Ministry of Environment. Its objective is to ensure the implementation of existing recommendations.
The order was passed after the top court heard the Centre's plea seeking modification of the September 8, 2020 order, which had asked the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) to follow the 2018 circular stipulating carriageway width of 5.5 metres on the ambitious Chardham highway project, which goes up to the border with China.
In its application, the MoD had said it seeks modification of the order and directions that the national highways from Rishikesh to Mana, from Rishikesh to Gangotri, and from Tanakpur to Pithoragarh may be developed to two-lane configuration.
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