Tehri Lake 2026: 8,000-hectare master plan and ring road work, October

Uttarakhand will draw up a master and zonal plan for 8,000 hectares around Tehri Lake, private land included, while the ADB-funded ring road is being built.

What happened

A master plan for the lake area. On 25 September 2026, Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan told officials to prepare a master plan and zonal plans for about 8,000 hectares around Tehri Lake, Indian Masterminds and ETV Bharat reported. Both reports said the plan will cover government land and privately owned land. Panchjanya reported that private land is being included to stop haphazard construction around the lake.

Who will help draw it up. The state is looking at technical help from the School of Planning and Architecture in New Delhi and Bhopal, according to Indian Masterminds and ETV Bharat. The Chief Secretary asked for the plan to take account of the terrain, local needs, environmental sensitivity and tourism potential, and for stakeholders to be consulted. Officials were also told to prepare a presentation that could be shown to the Prime Minister. THDC, which runs the Tehri dam, is to be invited to the next meeting.

What the plan is meant to do. The reports describe phased tourism development around several "magnet" areas: water sports, adventure, trekking, nature, culture and village tourism. Because the water level drops in April, May and June, the state wants a year-round calendar of activities. None of the reports we read gave a deadline for the plan, a draft date, or any new building rules yet.

The ring road, in three phases. Amar Ujala reported on 20 April 2026 that a ring road around the lake will be built in three phases with Asian Development Bank support. Phase 1 runs about 16 km from Koti Colony to Dobra bridge. Phase 2 runs from the Dobra-Chanthi bridge to Madan Negi-Pipal Dali, and Phase 3 from Gadolia-Tipri to Koti. The road is to be 14 to 20 metres wide, with footpaths, cycle tracks and viewpoints. The work is being done by the Lok Nirman Vibhag (PWD) division at Chamba.

Land acquisition for Phase 1. Garh Ninad reported a public hearing on 21 July 2026 at the Madan Negi sub-tehsil under the 2013 land acquisition law. Nine villages are affected in Phase 1: Khand, Pachri, Nargadh, Bhouniyada, Sandna, Jalwalgaon Malla, Jalwalgaon Talla, Pathiyana and Kangali. It said 38 affected landholders took part and 17 filed objections or suggestions. A second hearing was set for 22 July near the Dobra-Chanthi bridge.

October: complaints about the work. On 11 October 2026, ETV Bharat reported complaints from people using the road during construction. They cited dust, no water spraying, missing warning signs in danger zones, too few staff to manage traffic, and workers without helmets or safety jackets. The report also mentioned cracks in some embankments. Executive Engineer Rajbind Singh of the Chamba division told ETV Bharat that cutting from Marod to Jakh was nearly complete and that quality would not be compromised.

Figures that do not match. ETV Bharat put the ring road's cost at about ₹400 crore. Amar Ujala linked ADB support of about ₹1,300 crore to the project, a figure other reports use for all the development work around the lake. Both reports said about 70% of affected landowners had been paid compensation. Amar Ujala said this in April, and ETV Bharat repeated it in October, so it is not clear whether more has been paid since. Panchjanya mentioned a separate 234 km ring road survey along the lake shore. We could not confirm how that relates to the three-phase project.

What it means for buyers and landowners in Dehradun

This section is our view.

Land near the lake may soon come under a zonal plan. Once a plan covers private land, it will usually decide what can be built where. A plot that looks fine for a homestay or cottage today could end up in a green, tourism or no-build zone. Until a draft is published, nobody can say which plots will be affected. Be wary of anyone selling lake-view land on the promise that the master plan will raise its value.

Check the ring road alignment before you buy. If a plot is on or near the Koti-Dobra stretch or the later phases, ask the tehsil and the PWD Chamba office whether any part of it is being acquired. Land under acquisition, or with compensation still pending, should not change hands casually. Our questions to ask before buying land in Uttarakhand cover the basic record checks.

Remember the state's land rules. Many buyers looking at Tehri live in Dehradun or outside the state. Rules on who can buy farm land, and how much, still apply. Read our guide on buying land in Uttarakhand from outside the state before you pay a token amount.

Thinking of a homestay? Registration has its own conditions, including ownership and residence rules. See our post on Uttarakhand homestay rules in 2026. You can also browse property in Uttarakhand on ILA Infra.

Questions people ask

Will private land around Tehri Lake be included in the master plan?

Yes. Reports of the 25 September 2026 meeting said the Chief Secretary asked for both government and private land in about 8,000 hectares to be included. No draft has been published yet.

Which villages are affected by the Tehri Lake ring road?

For Phase 1 (Koti Colony to Dobra bridge), the nine villages named at the July 2026 hearing were Khand, Pachri, Nargadh, Bhouniyada, Sandna, Jalwalgaon Malla, Jalwalgaon Talla, Pathiyana and Kangali. The villages for Phases 2 and 3 were not listed in the reports we read.

When will the Tehri Lake ring road be finished?

None of the reports we read gave a completion date. In October 2026, the engineer in charge said cutting from Marod to Jakh was nearly complete.

Sources

Buying or selling property in Dehradun and unsure about the paperwork? Call Neeraj Thapa on +91 98320 03494.

How we write these: the ILA Infra team reads the reports listed under Sources and links every one, so you can check each figure yourself. The section on what it means for buyers is our own view, not advice.