New Mussoorie tunnel to decongest hill station, Gadkari says project approved

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has announced that the Centre has approved a project to construct a tunnel in the popular tourist spot Mussoorie in an attempt to free the Queen of Hills from increasing load of traffic.

The Centre has given nod to the project, cost for which is estimated to be to the tune of ₹700 crore. The length of this new tunnel will be 2.74 kms and will bypass traffic from the main town area to keep it decongested.

The double-lane tunnel, which is likely to be called Mussoorie Bypass, will connect Mall Road with Lal Bahadur Shastri Administrative Academy along National Highway 707A.

Nitin Gadkari took to Twitter to announce, "For easier and congestion free connectivity to Mussoorie town, Mall Road and LBSSNA (IAS Academy), Project Management Consultancy has been awarded for 2.74 km long Mussoorie tunnel which is being with a budget of 700 Cr on NH 707A."

The project was cleared after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari in Delhi on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has already appointed consultancy to prepare a detailed project report of the upcoming tunnel on Tuesday. Gadkari approved appointment of a PMC for the tunnel, which will now take steps to get environment and other necessary clearances for the construction. The PMC may take up to one year to get all the required approvals before the project can take off on ground.

Rawat said the construction of the tunnel will ease traffic in Mussoorie and help boost tourism growth, but also help during relief and rescue operations in case of a disaster. The chief minister also believes the tunnel will improve connectivity to the tribal-dominated Jaunsar Bawar area and help in its development.