Chardham road connectivity project likely to end by 2020

New Delhi, Aug 1 (IANS) The project to provide road connectivity to the "Chardhams" - four renowned Hindu religious sites in the Uttarakhand Himalayas - is likely to end by 2020, parliament was told on Monday.

"The upgradation to two-lane with paved shoulder of National Highways to provide connectivity to Chardham from Rishikesh leading to Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath including Tanakpur-Pithoragarh section is targeted for completion by 2020," Minister of State for Road, Transport and Highway Mansuk L. Mandaviya told the Rajya Sabha in an written reply.

The cost of the project has been estimated at Rs 1,1700 crore.

"Some of the new alignments, bypasses, tunnels, viaducts are proposed to avoid landslide prone areas, sinking zones etc. to improve the safety of road users," said Mandaviya.