Bhaniyawala–Rishikesh highway 2026: ₹743 crore widening stuck at Saat Mod

The ₹743 crore widening of NH-7 between Bhaniyawala, Jolly Grant and Rishikesh is on hold after protests over trees at Saat Mod. A September public consultation ended without agreement.

What happened

The project. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plans to widen the Bhaniyawala–Jolly Grant–Rishikesh stretch of National Highway 7 from two lanes to four and six lanes. Amar Ujala reported on 8 July 2026 that the road is about 20 km long and will cost ₹743 crore. Down To Earth said it is being built under the hybrid annuity mode. ETV Bharat gave the length as 19.78 km, of which about 8 km passes through forest.

Why NHAI says it is needed. Down To Earth quoted NHAI as saying the existing two-lane road carries about 18,456 vehicles a day, and that traffic will grow further because of tourism and airport connectivity. ETV Bharat reported traffic rising from 17,054 passenger car units in 2020 to 27,872 in 2026. The road links Dehradun with Jolly Grant airport and Rishikesh, and carries Char Dham traffic.

Wildlife measures. The forest section has been designed with a 23-metre right of way instead of the usual 60 metres, to cut down fewer trees. Amar Ujala reported about 3.5 km of elevated structure with elephant underpasses, plus sound barriers, anti-glare screens, warning signs, speed control and no-horn zones. ETV Bharat put the elevated section at 3.06 km, with five elephant underpasses in all.

The trees. Down To Earth reported on 17 July 2026 that 4,369 trees are affected. NHAI plans to transplant 754 and cut 3,605. ETV Bharat said various sources put the number between 4,369 and 4,442. Earlier July reports, and the state PWD, spoke of about 3,000 trees. The figures differ by source.

Protests and a halt. Residents and activists gathered at Saat Mod on 15 July 2026 and marked a "Kala Harela" in protest, Down To Earth reported. Navbharat Live reported on 19 July 2026 that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had stopped tree felling and said no work would go ahead until all sides reached agreement. Officials were told to hold fresh talks with residents, experts and public representatives.

The legal position. Down To Earth reported that activist Reenu Paul had filed a PIL, and that the Uttarakhand High Court found in January 2026 that an earlier interim stay on felling had not been extended. PWD Secretary Pankaj Pandey told ETV Bharat in July that the project followed forest land transfer rules and the Forest Conservation Act.

No agreement yet. ETV Bharat reported on 5 September 2026 that the first public consultation ended without a result. It quoted NHAI project director Saurabh Singh and Himanshu Arora of Citizens for Green Dehradun, who said it was the first time people had been consulted on such a project. We found no report of a decision since then, and no new completion date.

What it means for buyers, owners and hosts in Dehradun

This section is our view.

Do not price in a finished road yet. Sellers along Doiwala, Bhaniyawala, Jolly Grant and Raiwala often point to the widening as a reason for higher prices. The project is approved and funded, but work through the forest stretch is stopped. Until the government says what happens at Saat Mod, nobody can give you a reliable finish date.

Check the road line before you buy on the highway. If a plot or shop faces NH-7 between Bhaniyawala and Rishikesh, ask whether any of it falls in the widened right of way or near a planned junction, service road or elevated section. Ask NHAI or the tehsil for the alignment, not the seller. Our list of papers to check before buying a plot in Dehradun covers the land records side.

Airport-side stays still depend on today's road. For homestays and guest houses around Jolly Grant and on the Rishikesh side, the drive to the airport is part of the pitch. Quote travel times for the road as it is now, not as it may be. The Delhi–Dehradun expressway has already brought more road traffic into the city, and the 2026 Char Dham season shows how busy this corridor gets.

Construction years matter too. When work resumes, expect diversions and dust along the forest stretch for some time. If you rent out or run a stay on this belt, plan for it. You can list or browse stays in and around Dehradun on ILA Infra.

Questions people ask

Is the Dehradun–Rishikesh highway widening still going ahead?

The project has not been cancelled. Tree felling at Saat Mod was stopped in July 2026, and the first public consultation in September ended without agreement, according to ETV Bharat.