A contentious proposal to widen a key road in Dehradun has ignited a dispute between city planners and the local community. The Public Works Department's (PWD) plan to transform the Garhi Cantt to Dakra road into a four-lane thoroughfare, intended to alleviate traffic and improve connectivity, is now facing significant resistance from traders and residents of the Dakra Cantonment area.
Practical Hurdles and Feasibility Questions
Local stakeholders have raised serious doubts about both the need and the practicality of the ambitious widening project. Vishnu Prasad, a member of the local traders' association, highlighted a major timing conflict. He pointed out that sewer line work in the Dakra-Garhi area has recently commenced and is expected to take approximately two years. Initiating road construction simultaneously would leave residents without a proper road, making daily commuting extremely challenging.
Residents have also identified a critical design flaw that could worsen traffic instead of easing it. They revealed that in the adjoining military area, the Army has granted approval to the PWD to construct only a 21-foot-wide road. If an 80-foot-wide, four-lane road is built in one section and then abruptly narrows to 21 feet, it would inevitably create a severe traffic bottleneck. Prasad noted that the current available width, including footpaths and drains, ranges from about 66 to 80 feet, which they argue is sufficient for smooth traffic flow if managed properly.
Environmental Costs and Alternative Solutions
The opposition is not limited to logistical concerns; it extends to significant environmental and civic damage. In a letter submitted to the PWD, residents argued that clearing existing encroachments along the stretch would free up adequate space, making full-scale widening unnecessary. They warned that the proposed project would require the removal of electricity poles, demolition of existing footpaths and drains, damage to parks, and even the demolition of the Martyr's Memorial.
Most alarmingly, residents claim the project would lead to the felling of around 160 lush, centuries-old trees along the canal, causing what they describe as irreparable environmental harm. As a simpler and more cost-effective alternative, they have demanded the immediate reopening of the one-way road from Dakra to Garhi, which is currently closed. They believe this single measure would facilitate smoother traffic flow with less disruption, cost, and time.
Official Response and Assurances
The local community took their grievances directly to the authorities, meeting with minister Ganesh Joshi on Tuesday to convey their concerns. They reportedly received assurances of assistance from the minister. Meanwhile, a senior PWD official defended the proposal, stating the widening was intended to ease traffic, particularly for vehicles coming from outside the city and heading towards Mussoorie.
The official acknowledged the public's concerns, stating, "Public concerns have been noted, and we will work on a plan that causes minimal inconvenience." This statement suggests a potential reevaluation of the project's scope or timeline in response to the strong local pushback.
The standoff in Dehradun underscores a growing challenge in urban development: balancing infrastructure progress with practical community needs and environmental preservation. The outcome of this dispute will set a precedent for how such projects are negotiated in the future.
