The Delhi-Dehradun Expressway project, nearing completion, is expected to be an example for the world with the longest wildlife corridor in Asia. It will cut the travel time between the two cities to 2.5 hours but apprehensions remain about its impact, writes Paritosh Kimothi
Uttarakhand has for long been a popular destination for pilgrims and tourists. While Haridwar is a major pilgrimage centre in the plains, the provisional State capital Dehradun hosts a number of prominent national-level institutions including the Survey of India and Indian Military Academy along with famous educational institutions, apart from being the gateway to the popular hill station of Mussoorie and other tourism activities especially in the mountainous regions of Garhwalin the State. Apart from long weekends and special occasions, the summer months frequently witness a large number of people arriving here especially from Delhi-NCR. Similarly, snowfall in the nearby hills also attracts a number of tourists from neigbouring regions. At present, people travel between Delhi and Dehradun/Haridwar by road, train or by air. The time taken to travel between Doon and the national Capital by road ranges from five to seven hours depending on the time when one travels and the location one is going to. Similarly, it takes about five to six hours by train and though the flight takes 40 minutes to one hour, one may spend more than an additional hour to get to the destination from the airport