Pilgrims, tourists, and daily walkers traversing the banks of the sacred river will soon enjoy seamless pedestrian movement across municipal limits. Authorities have officially sanctioned a budget of Rs 32 crore to erect a crossing over the Chandrabhaga river, reconnecting two disconnected riverside promenades. Spanning approximately 150 metres, the proposed bow-string structure is slated to enter active construction within a month, sparing visitors the arduous detours they currently endure to reach the opposite bank.
Structural Blueprint and Project Execution
According to the engineering design, the crossing will feature two separate spans measuring 75 metres each. The mandate for executing the project has been assigned to the Uttarakhand Project Development and Construction Corporation Limited, working under the aegis of the Uttarakhand Infrastructure and Investment Development Board. Sanjeev Kumar, project manager representing the executing body, confirmed that the formal sanction of funds has been secured and site preparations are advancing rapidly to break ground within the coming month.
Bridging Dehradun and Tehri Along the Waterfront
Flowing naturally along the boundary separating Dehradun and Tehri districts, the Chandrabhaga river historically severed the continuous riverside walkway. On one side lies the promenade at Triveni Ghat, while the other side hosts the Purnanand walking track in Muni Ki Reti. The upcoming pedestrian bridge will establish an unbroken corridor between these two landmark points, directly benefiting thousands of devotees, vacationers, and morning walkers who previously had to exit the riverbank and navigate congested town roads to move from one section to the other.
Sanction Follows Multi-Year Public Advocacy
Residents had voiced demands for an elevated pathway across the seasonal channel for years. Although the irrigation department drafted and submitted multiple detailed project reports to higher authorities in earlier phases, bureaucratic hurdles delayed decisive progress. The turning point arrived in 2022 during an event at the Pt. Lalit Mohan Sharma campus of Sri Dev Suman Uttarakhand University. On that occasion, Urban Development Minister Premchand Agarwal submitted a formal representation to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami urging immediate intervention. While Dhami subsequently announced the crossing, actual execution remained stalled until this recent financial clearance. Welcoming the move, Rishikesh Municipal Corporation Mayor Shambhu Paswan noted that the bridge will serve as a vital infrastructural link for the twin pilgrimage zones.
