Uttarakhand to build new Houses in Dehradun and Gairsain

State to utilise Rs 88-crore Finance Commission funds for the purpose

The Uttarakhand government will utilise funds of the 13th Finance Commission to build two new Vidhan Sabha buildings at Dehradun and Gairsain. The state had received Rs 88 crore from the 13 th Finance Commission to build a new Vidhan Sabha after the current building on the banks of the Rispana river in Dehradun was declared unsafe. But the funds could not be utilized during the past few years due to political indecisiveness.

The state government has now roped in the National Building Construction Corporation (NBCC), a PSU, to prepare the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the two complexes.

“The NBCC will prepare the DPRs of both the Vidhan Sabha buildings. In case, we need more funds, we will approach the centre to release more money,” said Vidhan Sabha Speaker, Govind Singh Kunjwal.

Kunjwal said for the new Vidhan Sabha building at Dehradun, a house committee is being set up to take a final decision. “We have already seen a site in the Raipur area of Dehradun. But a Vidhan Sabha committee which will be set up shortly, will take a final call on the building at Dehradun,” said Kunjwal.

In what is being seen as a new beginning for settling the vexed capital issue in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna on Monday laid the foundation stone of a new Vidhan Sabha building at Gairsain, a central but remote area in Uttarakhand.

Bahuguna laid the foundation stone of the new Vidhan Sabha building and other offices and residential complexes at a function at Gairsain which would be completed in two-three years.

Speaking on the occasion, Bahuguna described the ceremony as historic and said the decision to build a new Vidhan Sabha at Gairsain was to honour the aspirations of the people of Uttarkahand.

However, Bahuguna did not make any commitment of making Gairsain the new capital of the hill state despite a scramble in this regard in certain political quarters. The chief minister has already stated that the issue of the capital of the hill state would be settled only after the completion of infrastructure facilities at Gairsain.

Significantly, a feasibility study report prepared by the Virendra Dixit Commission in 2009 had found Dehradun as the most suitable place for the permanent capital and rejected Gairsain on the basis of its tough geographical conditions and other factors that were taken into consideration for the final selection of the capital of Uttarakhand. The Dixit commission had taken nearly 8 years to prepare the report.

Dehradun, which became an interim capital after Uttarakhand was formed on Nov 9, 2000, edged out other four towns — Kashipur, Ramnagar, Gairsain and Rishikesh in the final 80 page report of the Dixit Commission.