In a significant move to tackle persistent traffic snarls, the Uttarakhand administration has initiated a major push to decongest Dehradun. The city's main wholesale fruit and vegetable market, Niranjanpur Mandi, is set to be relocated from its current spot near the busy Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT).
Directives for Decongestion: A New Mandi and Parking Reforms
Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, chairing a review meeting on the Dehradun Mobility Plan on Saturday, issued clear instructions to ease the gridlock. He directed Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) Vice-Chairman Bansidhar Tiwari to immediately identify a new site for shifting the Niranjanpur Mandi. The market's current location, just kilometres from the key Asharodi entry point, is a major contributor to congestion around the ISBT.
Bardhan emphasized the need for continuous measures, flagging the under-utilisation of parking facilities in several high-footfall zones. He mandated that existing parking infrastructure must be used to its full capacity. To discourage haphazard roadside parking, the on-road parking system run by the municipal corporation will be expanded to more routes, aiming to channel commuters towards designated lots.
Project Deadlines and Infrastructure Clean-Up
The Chief Secretary set tight deadlines for ongoing projects to ensure swift implementation. He ordered that a government order (GO) for the reconstruction of Aadhat Bazaar be issued by January 20, with work to begin at the earliest. For the broader Mobility Plan, the transport department was told to register the required Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) within December and hold its first board meeting by next month.
Inspecting progress on projects like Aadhat Bazaar and Indira Market, Bardhan also directed the Public Works Department to issue a GO by January 15 for improvement works at six city locations. On civic concerns, he instructed the immediate removal of unauthorised wire networks from electric poles and prompt road repairs in areas where underground cabling work is complete.
Long-Term Planning: Ground Truthing and Underground Parking
Looking beyond immediate fixes, the review meeting also focused on long-term solutions. Bardhan spoke about conducting ground truthing exercises for new parking sites identified under the Mobility Plan, with suitable ones to be developed promptly. In a forward-looking proposal, he called for a feasibility study to explore the potential for constructing an underground parking facility at the iconic Parade Ground.
Further, to streamline enforcement, officials were instructed to operationalise the Asharodi parking facility for seized vehicles at the earliest. These multi-pronged directives underscore the administration's focused approach to untangling Dehradun's traffic woes through relocation, better parking management, and accelerated project execution.
