To facilitate all-weather connectivity to Yamunotri, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to the construction of 4.531 kilometre long two-lane bi-directional Silkyara Bend - Badkot Tunnel with escape passage including approaches on Dharasu -Yamunotri section in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. The project which is part of the ambitious all weather road project to the Char Dham shrines is estimated to cost about Rs 1383 crore and is slated to be completed in four years.
The project will be falling along national highway - 134 in Uttarakhand and will be funded by the minister of Road Transpot and Highways as part of the major all-weather road project. The civil construction cost of the project is estimated at Rs 1119.69 crore, while the total project cost is Rs 1383.78 crore. The construction of this tunnel will provide all weather connectivity to Yamunotri, one of the Char Dham shrines, encouraging regional socio-economic development, trade and tourism within the country. It will reduce the travel distance from Dharasu to Yamunotri by about 20 kilometres and travel time by about an hour. The proposed tunnel will save number of trees that would have been required to be removed in the road improvement of 25.600 km, had the original alignment been followed.
The project will be implemented by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), through National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation limited (NHIDCl).