Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asserted that his government will not allow any attempt to alter the demographic character of Devbhoomi. Speaking at the Amar Ujala Samvad Uttarakhand programme in Dehradun, Dhami said the Uniform Civil Code was enacted not for any one group, but to preserve the cultural essence of the state. “Those who accuse us of turning Uttarakhand into a Hindutva lab can keep doing so,” he remarked.
Highlighting key development initiatives, Dhami credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 11 years of leadership for accelerating national growth. Projects like the Char Dham All-Weather Road, Rishikesh-Karnaprayag railway line, ropeways, and the Delhi-Dehradun expressway are evidence of this progress, he said.
Delhi to Dehradun in 2.5 Hours Soon
CM Dhami announced that within a few months, travel time from Delhi to Dehradun will reduce to just 2.5 hours. To manage the expected surge in tourists, a 26-km elevated road is being planned along the Rispana and Bindal rivers, functioning like a ring road. The central government has agreed to support this project.
Managing Eight Crore Tourists with a Population of 1.25 Crore
Dhami emphasized the challenge of providing infrastructure for over 8 crore annual visitors in a state with a population of only 1.25 crore. He highlighted ongoing projects such as the approved Hemkund Sahib and Kedarnath ropeways, which will ease pilgrim access and boost religious tourism.
PM Modi: ‘Ganga Putra’ and the Winter Tourism Push
Calling Prime Minister Modi the ‘Ganga Putra’, CM Dhami said the PM has a deep spiritual connection with Uttarakhand. He noted that winters once brought economic halt due to Char Dham closures, but the state now promotes visits to winter shrines and sunny mountain getaways during colder months — aligned with Modi’s vision of promoting ‘sun tourism’.
Silkyara Rescue as Model for Disaster Response
On disaster management, Dhami cited the successful Silkyara tunnel rescue as a benchmark in emergency response. He acknowledged that while disasters can’t be prevented, their impact can be minimized. Uttarakhand hosted the World Disaster Conference on 28 November 2023 to address such issues.
