Finally after a Wait of 15 Year Gaurikund Highway to be Connected with Badrinath Highway

The much awaited 2^nd phase of the bypass plan for connecting the Gaurikund highway to Badrinath highway has finally begun. The central government has provided the theoretical approval for the construction of the 920 metre long tunnel. It is being said that this will be the longest tunnel in the entire state. This bypass is predicted to help with the jam problems that occur during the journey in the city of Rudraprayag. At the same time the locals who were waiting for the bypass to be built for the past 1.5 decades their wait is also over.

This bypass scheme to get rid of unnecessary traffic jams was approved in the year 2004 or 2005. For this purpose a sum of almost 50 crore rupees was released to the BRO or Border Roads Organization. As per this scheme, during the first phase, a 4 km long highway and 2 bridges will be constructed and the highway of Badrinath will connected to the highway at Gaurikund from the PWD colony which will go via Gulabrai and Jawari.

In the second phase, the tunnel had to be carved out at Gaurikund and it had to be connected to the Chopta – Pokhari Marg with the help of a bridge. However, due to the unavailability of full budget among other technical reasons the project failed to even start. Right now, the traffic runs on a one – way basis. All the vehicles coming from Badrinath and Augustmuni are coming via the bypass in Srinagar or Rudraprayag. The vehicles coming from Srinagar are making their way through the city of Rudraprayag towards Badrinath and Gaurikund.

In the second phase the Rudraprayag bypass will be connected to the Bellini intersection on the Rudraprayag – Chopta – Pokhari motorway via a 920 metre long tunnel which will be located close to the colony building. From here a bridge will be constructed on top of the river of Alaknanda and this will be connected to the Badrinath highway. District Magistrate Mangesh Ghildiyal said that instructions have been given to BRO to prepare forest land and DPR for the scheme on behalf of the government. Several formalities have been completed including geological survey for tunneling. So, the second phase is expected to start soon.