Meeting the Union Minister of Road Transport, Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari, the Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat requested that the Herbertpur-Badkot route (national highway 123) and Kotdwar-Srinagar route (national highway 119) should be linked to the all weather road project and made as per the Char Dham project. Further, in view of the 2021 Kumbh Mela in Haridwar, approval should also be granted to construction of a four-lane 2.5 kilometre bridge across the Ganga river near Jagjeetpur and a 47 kilometre long ring road in Haridwar at an estimated cost of Rs 1566 crore.

In the current financial year, financial and administrative approval for work proposals amounting to about Rs 284 crore under the Central Road Fund is also awaited.

Rawat further informed Gadkari that in the 123rd TSC of the central water commission, various flood protection schemes of the State have been approved.

These include works costing Rs 98 crore along the Suswa river, works costing Rs 33.95 crore along the Jakhan river, Rs  34.25 core works along the Song and its tributaries and works costing Rs 46.42 crore along the Bindal river.

He requested that financial approval be granted soon by the Government of India for these works. Rawat also referred to the record number of people undertaking the Char Dham Yatra this year.

Stating that this Yatra is also a priority for the Union Government, he said that work is underway on the all weather road project to make the pilgrimage more secure and convenient.

He informed Gadkari that large number of people coming from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Delhi use the 111 kilometre long Herbertpur-Badkot NH 123 and 137 kilometre long Kotdwar-Srinagar NH 119.

These roads need to be linked to the all-weather road project and oriented according to the Char Dham project for the convenience of the pilgrims, he said. Rawat also informed Gadkari about proposals submitted earlier under the Central Road Fund for the current financial year.

These proposals amounting in cost to Rs 284.11 crore including nine road safety works amounting to Rs 25 crore and 16 proposals for bridge and road construction amounting to Rs 285 crore.

The Union Minister assured that necessary action would be taken on these proposals.