Char Dham highway project

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that the Army required widened roads in the Char Dham highway project that goes up to the China border due to problems faced there.

The strategic 900-km Char Dham highway project aims to provide all-weather connectivity to four towns -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath -- in Uttarakhand.

The Ministry of Defence has filed an application seeking recall of an earlier order where the court said the width should not be more than 5.5 metres.

Appearing for the NGO, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves said, "The Army has never said we want these wide roads. Someone high up in political power said we want highways on the Char Dham yatra. The Army reluctantly went along."

Gonsalves pointed out there had been massive landslides this year, exacerbating the damage in the mountains.

Gonsalves said; "The development of the highway was for the prestigious Char Dham project. The Army was not considered when these roads were being built. Now you can't justify the roads for the Char Dham yatra, so you use the Army as an excuse."

The Centre has told the Supreme Court that the Army required widened roads in the Char Dham highway project that goes up to the China border due to problems faced there.

The strategic 900-km Char Dham highway project mainly aims to provide all-weather connectivity to listed four towns -- Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath -- in UK.

The Defence Ministry has filed an application seeking recall of an earlier order where the court said the width should not exceed more than 5.5 metres.

"The Army has never said we want these wide roads. Someone high up in political power said we want highways on the Char Dham yatra. The Army reluctantly went along," Appearing for the NGO, Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves said.

Gonsalves pinpointed that there had been massive landslides this year, exacerbating the damage in the mountains.