Dehradun: The proposed Rispana–Bindal Elevated Corridor (RBEC) has pushed the government and Dehradun’s citizens into a head-on collision, with no meeting ground in sight.
While the government insists it has “no option” but to build elevated roads over the two rivers, citizens and experts are calling it an environmental ticking bomb
The project could threaten not just Dehradun but even the stability of Mussoorie, they warned.
In the first edition of the Dehradun Citizens Forum’s (DCF) Rispana–Bindal Knowledge Series, Pune-based river and urban-flooding expert Sarang Yadwadkar warned that the proposed 26-km elevated corridor would choke the already narrowed riverbeds, obstruct natural water flow, and heighten flood risks across the valley.
Explaining the vulnerability of the region, Yadwadkar said climate change has intensified rainfall patterns in the hills — fewer rainy days but dangerously high-intensity showers.
With cloudbursts becoming frequent and the area lying in Seismic Zone VI, he stressed that building hundreds of pillars inside the riverbed is “inviting a catastrophe.”
He screened a documentary on Pune’s flooding to underscore how encroachments and unscientific riverfront construction can trigger urban disasters — lessons Dehradun, he said, must urgently learn.
Participants raised red flags over large-scale concretisation, tree cutting, air pollution from debris trucks, and the government’s lack of transparency. Many said they’ve been forced to rely on RTIs to obtain even basic project information.
The session, moderated by Retu Chatterjee, concluded with remarks from architect Bharti Jain. DCF member Anoop Nautiyal said more sessions will follow to break down the risks and realities of the RBEC project.
Citizens from Dehradun, Mussoorie and other states joined the discussion, signalling growing public resistance.
For now, the standoff is stark: the government is pushing the project; the public is pushing back harder — and Dehradun’s rivers are caught in between.
#SaveRispanaBindal #SaveDoon #NoElevatedCorridor #ListenToCitizens #ProtectMussoorie
