Transport and Communication in Uttarakhand

Transport and Communication in Uttarakhand

Transport and Communication in Uttarakhand : Uttarakhand is a hilly state in the Himalayan region with challenging terrain. Transport and communication networks are critical for the state’s development. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the transport and communication system in Uttarakhand across various modes – roads, railways, airways, ropeways, waterways and pipelines. It also covers the key infrastructure projects, issues and future outlook.

Road Transport

Overview

Road transport is the backbone of Uttarakhand’s transport system due to its hilly terrain. It accounts for over 92% share in total goods and passenger transport. The road network comprises national highways, state highways, major district roads, other district roads, village roads etc.

As of March 2018, the total road network stands at 37,267 km across various categories:

• National Highways: 2,091 km
• State Highways: 4,387 km
• Major District Roads: 2,155 km
• Other District Roads: 2,751 km
• Village Roads: 22,287 km
• Light Vehicle Roads: 616 km
• Bridle Roads/Border Tracks: 3,127 km

Key Road Infrastructure Projects

Some major road infrastructure projects underway in the state are:

Chardham Road Project

This INR 11,700 crore project by the Central Government aims to provide all-weather connectivity to the four holy shrines of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath. The key components are:

• 4-laning of highways
• Construction of 25 bridges
• 13 bypasses
• 2 tunnels

The 889 km project network comprises the following stretches:

• Rishikesh – Dharasu – Gangotri (263 km)
• Dharasu – Yamunotri (95 km)
• Rishikesh – Rudraprayag – Kedarnath (216 km)
• Rudraprayag – Badrinath (160 km)
• Tanakpur – Pithoragarh (150 km)

Environmentalists have raised concerns regarding the ecological impact of the project. The Supreme Court has appointed a high-level committee under Ravi Chopra to study the environmental implications.

Other Key Projects

• Widening of national highways connecting major cities
• Construction of alternate road routes in disaster prone areas
• Building bypasses at major towns
• Strengthening of district and rural road networks
• Road connectivity to remote villages

Issues and Challenges

• Recurring natural disasters like landslides and floods damage the roads
• Lack of funds for proper maintenance leads to poor road conditions
• Inadequate roads in remote hill districts
• Traffic congestion in major cities and towns
• Lack of discipline among drivers and pedestrians leading to accidents

Rail Transport

Overview

The rail network in Uttarakhand serves mainly the plains and valleys connecting major towns and cities. The mountainous terrain limits rail connectivity in the hills.

Key railway stations in the state include Haldwani, Kathgodam, Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun, Ramnagar, Kashipur, Rudrapur, Kotdwar etc. Dehradun, Kathgodam and Rishikesh also serve as important rail terminals.

Over 57% of the population lives in rural areas. But the rail infrastructure is inadequate to serve rural hinterlands. Rail transport caters to only about 8% of total goods and passenger traffic.

Key Rail Projects

• Rishikesh-Karanprayag Rail Line: This 125 km rail line project in the Mandakini and Alaknanda river valleys aims to provide rail connectivity to the Garhwal region. Estimated completion by 2025.
• Tanakpur-Bageshwar Rail Line: This 150 km project will connect major towns and pilgrimage sites in the Kumaon region. Estimated completion by 2022.
• Haridwar-Dehradun-Rishikesh Metro Rail: The detailed project report is being prepared by RITES Ltd. It will provide metro rail connectivity in the plains districts.
• Rail connectivity to Pilgrimage Sites: Final location surveys are underway for rail lines to Kedarnath, Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Auli.

Issues and Challenges

• Lack of funds due to difficult terrain and low traffic volumes
• Priority given to roads over railways by policy makers
• Private sector hesitation for investment due to low returns
• Recurring natural disasters like landslides and floods

Air Transport

Overview

Air transport is especially important for Uttarakhand due to its topography. But growth has been limited by economic non-viability and lack of private investment.

The state has 3 operational airports – Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun, Pantnagar Airport and Naini Saini Airport Pithoragarh. In addition, an airport at Gauchar, Chamoli is under development.

Jolly Grant Airport connects Dehradun to Delhi and other major cities. It handles over a million passengers. There are plans to upgrade it to an international airport.

Key Government Initiatives

Several schemes have been launched by the Centre and State Government to improve air connectivity in the state:

• UDAN Scheme: Regional flights have commenced on subsidized fares between Dehradun-Pithoragarh and Pantnagar-Pithoragarh under the UDAN scheme to boost regional air connectivity.
• Helicopter Services: Helicopters services have been deployed for char dham yatra, pilgrimage tourism, emergency rescue work and border security operations.
• Airstrips Development: Several airstrips are being upgraded and developed across the state for small aircraft operations.

Issues and Challenges

• High cost of air travel beyond affordability for majority
• Lack of reliability during inclement weather
• Limitations of airports at high altitude locations
• Insufficient air connectivity to remote tourist destinations
• Safety issues with small aircraft operations from tiny hill airstrips

Ropeway Transport

Overview

Ropeways offer a sustainable transport solution for the hilly terrain. They are environment friendly, require less land and provide safe travel.

At present, ropeways operate as a tourism attraction in the hill stations of Mussoorie, Nainital, Auli and the temple towns of Haridwar and Rishikesh.

Ropeways are also used for transportation of people and goods in remote areas where road access is difficult. For instance, a cargo ropeway connects Tehri town with surrounding villages across the Tehri lake.

Key Projects

Several ropeway projects have been proposed by the tourism department:

• Nainital – Bhimtal ropeway
• Mussoorie – Dhanolti – Tehri ropeway
• Nag Tibba ropeway in Tehri Garhwal district
• Sridev Suman – Champawat – Lohaghat ropeway
• Gaurikund – Kedarnath ropeway
• Rishikesh – Neelkanth Mahadev ropeway
• Dehradun – Mussoorie ropeway

Ropeways are also planned for transport across Tehri lake connecting different districts.

Advantages

• Requires less land acquisition compared to roads
• Suitable for remote hill areas with fragile ecology
• Energy efficient and environment friendly
• Offer safe and comfortable travel
• Project completion time is less

Issues and Challenges

• High project cost requiring large investments
• Limited technical experience and skilled manpower availability
• Safety concerns due to natural disasters like landslides, storms etc.
• Insufficient legal framework and regulations

Inland Water Transport

Overview

Navigable rivers and water channels are limited in Uttarakhand due to the mountainous terrain. Presently, inland water transport is restricted to the rivers Ganga, Yamuna and their tributaries in the plains bordering Uttar Pradesh.

Water transport also operates in some lakes and reservoirs for local passenger ferry services. For instance, ferry boats operate in Naini Lake in Nainital. River rafting has emerged as an adventure tourism activity.

Potential

• Ferry services for pilgrims in Tehri Lake and other reservoirs
• Rafting and kayaking in rivers for adventure tourism
• Cruise boats in Nainital lake and Asan barrage waterbody

Issues and Challenges

• Lack of natural water channels and navigable rivers
• Risk of accidents due to overflowing rivers during monsoon
• Boat operations get affected due to low water levels in summers and winters

Pipeline Transport

Overview

Pipelines transport various fluids and gases including water, petroleum, natural gas etc. In Uttarakhand, pipelines have been laid for supply of drinking water and piped natural gas (PNG).

• Water Pipelines: Drinking water pipelines extending hundreds of kilometers supply water from mountain springs and rivers to the taps in cities and villages across the state. For instance, the Rispana-Bindal water supply scheme pipes water to Dehradun city from Rispana river 35 kms away.
• Gas Pipelines: PNG pipelines have been laid in Dehradun and Haridwar for domestic, commercial and industrial applications by GAIL Gas Limited. Further expansion to other towns is underway.

Advantages

• Environment friendly transport system
• Energy efficient and reduces vehicular pollution
• Safe, accident proof and protects from pilferage
• Low maintenance cost

Issues and Challenges

• Huge capital investment requirement
• Scaling up laying pipelines in remote hill areas is difficult
• Pipeline damage due to landslides, hill cutting etc.

Communication Networks

Overview

Communication networks comprising telecom, internet, radio, television and postal services play a vital role in socio-economic development through dissemination of information.

Telecom Services

The telecom network in Uttarakhand has rapidly expanded during the last decade driven by wireless technology. Key highlights:

• Wireless tele-density increased from 53.32% in 2014 to 90.16% in 2019.
• Share of wireless subscribers rose from 94.97% in 2014 to 98.36% in 2019.
• Number of internet subscribers increased from 5.13 million in 2014 to 21.69 million in 2019.

Top players include Vodafone Idea Ltd, Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd, BSNL and Airtel. 4G services have been launched across the state.

5G rollout is expected in a phased manner by 2025. Uttarakhand government has waived road cutting charges for 5G infrastructure development to attract investment.

Postal Services

India Post serves as an important channel for communication and financial inclusion through post offices in rural areas:

• As of March 2019, there were 3,679 post offices in Uttarakhand.
• 89% of these post offices were in rural areas.
• India Post payments bank aims to provide banking access in rural areas.

Radio Services

Radio broadcasts provide information and entertainment to the public through All India Radio stations at Dehradun, Nainital and Almora. Community Radio Stations also operate at Chamoli and Tehri.

Television Services

Television content is delivered through terrestrial transmission, cable TV networks and Direct to Home (DTH) satellite service.

Doordarshan Kendras are located at Dehradun and Almora. There are over 100 registered cable TV operators. Leading DTH players like Tata Sky, Airtel and Dish TV have wide coverage.

Issues and Challenges

• Mobile and internet connectivity is poor in remote hill districts
• Lack of electricity hampers functioning of communication networks
• Low computer literacy in rural areas limits citizen access to digital services
• Difficult terrain increases rollout costs of networks

Conclusion

Transport and Communication in Uttarakhand : An efficient, sustainable and integrated transport and communication system is vital for Uttarakhand to tap its full development potential. While roads are the lifeline, diversification across ropeways, railways, airways is needed considering the fragile Himalayan ecology. Use of green energy, alternative routes to improve resilience and leveraging emerging technologies are crucial for the future. The youth must be equipped with the requisite skills to maximize new opportunities. With sound policies and public-private participation, Uttarakhand can transform its transport and communication landscape to emerge as a model hill state.

What is the main mode of transportation in Uttarakhand? 

Road transport is the backbone of Uttarakhand’s transport system accounting for over 92% share.

Which major road infrastructure project is underway? 

The Chardham Road Project to improve connectivity to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.

What share of goods and passenger traffic is handled by railways? 

The railways cater to only about 8% of total goods and passenger traffic in the state.

Which airports operate flights in Uttarakhand? 

Jolly Grant Airport Dehradun, Pantnagar Airport and Naini Saini Airport Pithoragarh. An airport in Gauchar, Chamoli is also under development.

How have communication networks expanded over the years? 

Tele-density increased from 53% in 2014 to over 90% in 2019 driven by wireless and internet penetration.