Landslide, subsidence treatment works on NH underway: Gadkari

Amid heightened concerns over road safety and disaster mitigation in Uttarakhand, the Centre said landslide and subsidence treatment works on the Rudraprayag to Kedarnath road, one of the most vital pilgrimage routes, were underway and the project would be completed on time.

This comes in response to a question raised by BJP MP Mahendra Bhatt regarding the status and delay, if any, in the treatment works at six critical points along the NH-107 stretch. In a written reply, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said the government had sanctioned a total of Rs 357 crore for landslide and subsidence mitigation across 17 locations between Rudraprayag and Gaurikund. Of this, eight sites had already seen completion of works amounting to Rs 172.56 crore. Another three locations, worth around Rs 39.25 crore, were in the bidding phase, he said.

The focus of Bhatt’s query was on six key locations for which projects worth Rs 145.22 crore are currently under execution. Gadkari clarified that there is no delay in these projects and detailed progress for each of the six sites was submitted in an annexure.

The annexure revealed that significant work was underway at three clustered landslide-prone zones, Kaladhungi I, Kaladhungi II and Rampur, where Rs 75.07 crore was sanctioned in March 2023. Work began in March 2024 and is slated to conclude by March 2026, with 82 per cent progress already achieved. In contrast, the other projects have begun recently. Two slope protection projects at Vidhyadhaam and Devidhaar commenced in May 2025 and are still at five per cent progress. Another landslide treatment at Ch. 71.220 to 71.380 began around the same time and is yet to show measurable progress. The completion timelines for these newer works stretch up to May 2027.

Despite the government’s assertion of “no delay,” the timelines indicate that critical portions of the Rudraprayag-Gaurikund route, frequently used by thousands of Char Dham pilgrims and locals alike, will remain under construction for at least another year, with some work extending to 2027.