PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has started the land acquisition process for a proposed 13-kilometres elevated highway between Ajabpur and Miyawala, a project estimated to cost around Rs 2,000 crore and aimed at easing traffic congestion in Dehradun. The project is part of the proposed Asharodi-Miyawala corridor and is intended to allow vehicles travelling from Saharanpur and Haridwar to bypass congested urban stretches of the city.
The Rispana-Jogiwala section of the Haridwar highway is considered one of Dehradun’s major traffic bottlenecks. Despite road widening around three years ago, the stretch continues to witness heavy congestion, with traffic queues frequently extending towards Miyawala.
Under the plan, the elevated highway will pass above the existing road towards Ajabpur before running alongside the railway line for about four kilometres through Mohkampur and up to Miyawala. A flyover between Rispana and Jogiwala had earlier been proposed but could not progress due to limited space.
NHAI project director Saurabh Singh said that land acquisition proceedings had begun for the Asharodi-Miyawala project. He said that the Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been submitted to the Centre and construction would begin after compensation proceedings for affected landowners are completed.
He said that land acquisition is proposed in areas including Dehrakhas, Sevla Khurd, Badripur, Brahmanwala, Majra, Majri Mafi, Mobbewala, Mohkampur Khurd, Shahnagar, Kargi Grant and Ajabpur. Meanwhile, work on the proposed flyover at Chhidderwala on the Dehradun-Haridwar highway has been temporarily halted following objections from local residents over the flyover and underpass. Singh said that highway traffic would be restored within one or two days after repairs to traffic lights at the crossing. At Raiwala, construction of a proposed 550-metre flyover is expected to begin after the Kumbh.
