The Congress Party which is going to complete its consecutive second term at the Centre and more importantly, has also been able to manage to stage a comeback to power in Uttarakhand for the second time, seems to have put the dream Himalayan highway project of the veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Uttarakhand ND Tiwari on the back-burner.
With the Congress led State or Central Governments not taking the issues important from strategic point of view so expeditiously as needed as the experts here believe, there is no sign that the dream Himalayan highway project that was mooted by Tiwari during his tenure as the Chief Minister of Uttarakhand between 2002 and 2005 is going to see light of the day in immediate future.
The ambitious highway project was proposed basically to connect all the Himalayan States right from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh to Uttarakhand connecting Nepal at terai bhabar region in Champawat’s Tanakpur region.
As the officials concerned of the state PWD informed, the aforesaid Himalayan highway was not only aimed at ensuring better interstate connectivity but also strengthening India’s strategic interests on this long and tougher Himalayan border with China and Nepal on this Great Himalayan front.
But the strategic experts and old hands in Uttarakhand affairs here believe its seems given the track record of this Congress Government both at the Centre and state it does not seem that the aforesaid strategically important Himalayan highway project would ever take a concrete shape.
It is worth mention here that poor road connectivity in hill states like Uttarakhand is a major drawback for the all round development of the hill State.
Whereas neighbouring China has carried out rail networks along the Himalayan border in Tibet, in other side of the border people including the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrims, traders of the Indo –Tibet border trade have to traverse narrow and hilly pedestrian lanes to approach the Himalayas.
That is why it was a visionary step mooted by the then Chief Minister, N D Tiwari, to smoothen India’s mobility on this Himalayan sector, added the experts.
Besides, as the experts here maintain such proposed Himalayan highway would have come in handy to boost trade ties among different States. But the fact remains that in the absence of proper road networks, surface transport services in hill States like Uttarakhand still remain a cause of concern. Blocking of national highways and link\\ roads during monsoon season as experienced only strengthens this belief.
When asked about the present status of this Himalayan highway, lokesh Kumar Sharma, Chief Engineer, PWD, Kumaon division, talking to The Pioneer , informed that presently the said project is not under consideration at any level. Therefore much can’t be said about this project at this juncture. However, he maintained that this project was mooted to connect all the Himalayan States.