Chardham road project for national security, Centre tells green tribunal
NEW DELHI: The project undertaken involves national interest, unity and integrity of the nation as well as security of the entire country.
ATMARAM NS NADKARNI, Additional solicitor general
The all-weather Chardham road in Uttarakhand involves “national interest and the security of the entire country” and needs to be expedited, the Union road transport ministry told the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Friday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had laid the foundation for the ₹11,700 crore all-weather Chardham road project before the Uttarakhand assembly election in 2017, promising its completion in four years.
The ministry was arguing against a petition that the 1,706 km-long project was being developed in violation of environmental norms.
The petitioner, Citizens for Green Doon, said that the project was in violation as it bypassed the need for the Central government’s approval after an environmental impact assessment (EIA). The approval was needed as over 33,000 trees were being cut. The project was broken into 135 small segments to bypass EIA norms, the petitioner said.
Under the EIA 2006 notification, construction of new highways or expansion of existing roads less than 100 km-long, that does not involve major land acquisition (40 metres on existing alignment), can be carried out without the EIA and the Centre’s approval, according to an affidavit filed by the environment ministry.
The ministry of environment, forest and climate change also confirmed to the NGT that it had not received any proposal seeking a clearance for the Chardham yatra project. The road transport ministry has divided the project into 135 segments that includes 16 bypasses, 15 major bridges and two tunnels.
Arguing for the road ministry, additional solicitor general Atmaram NS Nadkarni, in an affidavit, said most of the work related to the project was “essentially widening of the existing single lane roads into double lanes”, reconstruction of “a geometric gradient” of the existing two-lane roads and construction of bypasses and bridges.
“The works involved in this project are all less than 100 kms, and none of the works are either 100 kms or above,” Nadkarni said, adding that all the works were being carried out on six national highways and range from 33 to 88 kms in length.
The road ministry also added that the physical progress of the works ranged from 20 to 98%.
The only stretch where the Centre’s approval will be needed is a 94-km road between Uttarkashi and Gangotri and the work on that section has not started, the ASG said.
“For this stretch, the state government has been asked to approach the environment ministry for necessary approvals,” he said.
In the court, the ASG submitted the project was being expedited as it involved national security.
“The project undertaken involves national interest, unity and integrity of the nation as well as security of the entire country,” he said, emphasising on how the all-weather road will connect the mainland with the border areas of China.
The tribunal, however, asked the ASG whether carrying out the project meant any damage to the local environment. Nadkarni replied that measures to protect the environment and carry out afforestation, were being employed.