Archive · 26 Sep 2025
Appeal to Review Char Dham Project Road Widening
Some important people wrote a letter to the highest judge in India about a road project.
They want the judge to look again at a decision that allowed roads in the mountains to be made wider.
They worry that wider roads cause landslides and damage the environment.
The roads are part of a bigger project called Char Dham.
The letter says wider roads cause disasters and cost a lot of money to fix.
They want the roads to be made narrower to prevent further problems, as recommended previously.
BJP veteran Murli Manohar Joshi and Karan Singh appealed for review of Char Dham project road widening.
The appeal contests the 2021 Supreme Court judgment permitting 12-meter road widening.
Advocates for 5.5-meter road width, citing Ministry of Road Transport and Highways circular.
Concerns raised over the impact of the widening on the Himalayan terrain, leading to increased landslides.
Appeal highlights economic losses and environmental damage resulting from the widening project.
- Who
- Murli Manohar Joshi, Karan Singh, and others
- What
- Appeal to Chief Justice of India to review the Char Dham project road widening
- When
- Ongoing, letter sent recently
- Where
- Uttarakhand, India
- Why
- To mitigate environmental damage and reduce disaster risk related to road widening
Environmental Safety Advocates
Road Expansion Proponents
Road Width
Environmental Safety Advocates
Favor narrower roads (5.5 m) to minimize environmental impact and landslide risks.
Road Expansion Proponents
Favored wider roads (10 m tarred, 12 m formation) for strategic and defense purposes.
- Project
- Char Dham Pariyojana
- Highways
- Rishikesh-Mana, Rishikesh-Gangotri, Tanakpur-Pithoragarh
- Road Width Sought
- 5.5 meters
- Current Road Width
- 10 meters tarred, 12 meters formation
- Losses Cited
- Approx. Rs 5,000 crore this season