SC allows paving of Laldhang–Chillarkhal road, bars commercial vehicles

Dehradun: Supreme Court on Thursday modified its Jan 11, 2023, stay order and allowed paving of the 11.5 km Laldhang–Chillarkhal road connecting 18 remote villages in Uttarakhand. However, SC refused to permit commercial vehicles on the stretch.A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi noted that a 4.5 km stretch from Chamaria More to Sigdi Sot falls within an ecologically sensitive zone and serves as the only functional wildlife corridor between Jim Corbett Tiger Reserve and Rajaji Tiger Reserve.

The bench said people living in remote villages were entitled to development benefits and modified its earlier order that had stayed the project for alleged violation of environmental norms. At the same time, it directed the state govt to ensure that no commercial vehicles ply on the road.The court observed that heavy vehicles would adversely affect the corridor’s flora and fauna and said trucks and dumpers would not be allowed on the 11.5 km stretch. It did not comment on permitting buses, noting that granting exemptions could lead to similar demands.Advocate Gaurav Kumar Bansal, on whose petition the stay was granted in 2023, said his objection was limited to commercial traffic.

He said he was not opposed to a metalled road for villagers but had concerns that commercial vehicles would affect wildlife.State govt told the court that paving the road would reduce the distance between Kotdwar and Haridwar by 65 km for commercial traffic. However, it assured the bench that commercial vehicles would not be allowed on the stretch and would instead use routes through Uttar Pradesh.BJP MP Anil Baluni, an intervener in the case, submitted through his counsel Bansuri Swaraj that the road was vital for over 40,000 residents of 18 villages. He said the existing unpaved road often gets washed away during the monsoon. The govt has also proposed constructing a 400 m elevated stretch to facilitate wildlife movement.Earlier, the apex court had observed that construction in the corridor would require compliance with provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, and directed the state govt to obtain necessary clearances.Environmental groups had raised concerns that increased traffic could disrupt wildlife movement in the corridor, which is home to tigers, elephants and leopards.