An eleven member delegation headed by the State Urban Development and Housing Minister Madan Kaushik is slated to go on a tour to london, Switzerland and Germany before a final decision is taken on construction of proposed metro rail/ light rail transit (lRT) system in Dehradun-Haridwar-Rishikesh metropolitan area and personal rapid transit system and ropeways proposed in Dehradun and Haridwar. According to an office order by Uttarakhand Metrol Rail, Urban Infrastructure and Buildings Construction Corporation limited (UMRUIBCC) managing director Jitendra Tyagi, the tour is proposed to be undertaken during the month of August though the specific dates for this have not been finalised yet.
According to the official order, chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat has formed the tour group headed by Kaushik. The group includes Kedarnath MlA Manoj Rawat, Salt MlA Surendra Singh Jeena, lohaghat MlA Puran Singh Fartyal, Bageshwar MlA Chandan Ram Das, Ranipur MlA Adesh Chauhan, chief secretary Utpal Kumar Singh, secretaries Radhika Jha, Nitesh Jha, UMRUIBCC managing director Jitendra Tyagi and chief engineer Nattha Singh Rawat. The tour is proposed to be held in first week of August though the dates are yet to be finalised.
It will be recalled that during 2015, out of the three options of metro rail, mono rail and lRT, considering factors including cost, environmental concerns in this environmentally sensitive corridor, geography and expected ridership, lRT was considered the more feasible option. In addition to this a PRTS work plan was also prepared for Dehradun with its planned operation between ISBT and Rajpur Road.