SC reserves its verdict on Char Dham Road Widening Project

Tribune News Service
New Delhi, November 11

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The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its decision on widening of the 899-km Char Dham Road Project in Uttarakhand that hit headlines in view of clashes between Indian and Chinese armed forces on the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

A Bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud – which had earlier wondered if environmental concerns can override national security – asked the Centre and Citizens for Green Doon – an NGO that has challenged the widening of roads raising environmental issues—to file their written submissions in two days.

Citing the Chinese military build-up on the other side of the LAC, Attorney General KK Venugopal said the court should allow widening of the road that would serve as feeder roads for the border roads.

The ‘Char Dham’ highway project is to connect the four holiest places in Uttarakhand through 900-km all-weather roads.

The Centre has contended that it will facilitate rapid deployment/movement of Armed Forces along India-China border which has witnessed face-offs at several points in recent times.

“The Army will have to take Brahmos which is 42 feet long in case of a confrontation. How do we go if the roads are not wide enough?” Venugopal submitted.

In view of a 2018 notification mandating a 5.5 metre limit for road width in hilly terrains, the Supreme Court had in September 2020 asked the government to comply with it in the Char Dham project.

However, the government amended the notification in December 2020 and sought the top court’s permission to construct 10 metre wide roads.

“All development has to be sustainable…But sustainable development has to be balanced with defence of the nation. We can’t deny the fact…We are really in a terrain and altitude where the defence of the nation is extremely important. Can we, therefore, say we will override the concerns of the armed forces or the defence?” it said on November 9.

While hearing a PIL filed by Citizens for Green Doon challenging the Stage-I forest clearance and wildlife clearance granted for the improvement/expansion of roads under Char Dham Project, resulting in felling of trees in Dehradun, Justice Chandrachud had earlier underlined the limitations of judicial activism in such cases.