The Uttarakhand Congress has strongly criticized the Dhami government over the alleged conversion of Dehradun’s IT Park into a real estate project, calling it a betrayal of the youth and a violation of public trust. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party said that the IT Park was originally established to create employment and technology opportunities for the state’s youth, but the government has now handed over its land to a private builder for a housing project. The Congress alleged that this move has “destroyed the core vision” of the IT Park.
Citing revelations made by senior journalist Ajit Rathi, the opposition claimed that land within the IT Park has been leased to a private company, RCC Developer, which plans to build and sell apartments for profit. “The government has turned a public asset into a private profit-making venture through a ‘Public to Private Transfer,’” the party said.
According to the Congress, the tender process itself raises questions of transparency and potential collusion. The base rate for the tender was ₹40,000 per square meter, but the bid only went up to ₹46,000, and both plots were allotted to the same developer. The party further alleged that the company was allowed to pay only 25% of the amount upfront, with the remaining sum to be paid in easy installments — an arrangement that “suggests the government acted more like a financial facilitator than a regulator.”
The Congress said the decision undermines Uttarakhand’s youth, who were expecting the IT Park to attract companies and generate jobs in the technology sector. “Instead of fostering a skill-based and employment-oriented economy, the government is promoting real estate interests,” the statement read.
The party also accused the State Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand (SIDCUL) of deviating from its core mission of promoting industries and venturing into real estate instead. “There is a complete lack of transparency. The public was neither informed about the bidding process nor consulted before such a major decision,” the Congress added.
The opposition has demanded that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Industries Secretary Vinay Shankar Pandey clarify whether the land transfer serves public interest or benefits a particular company. “By leasing out such a valuable asset for 90 years, the government has mortgaged the rights of future generations. This is not just about land—it is about the future and moral integrity of state policy,” the party said.
