Union minister Nitin Gadkari announced at a public function in Dehradun that the Tanakpur-Lipulekh road via Pithoragarh will be completed within the next year. He said the project is valued at Rs 52 billion (Rs 52 bn) and that roughly 200 kilometres of the total 370 kilometres have been completed. The minister noted that the remaining 129 kilometres face significant obstacles but committed to pressing ahead to finish the work within the stated timeframe. Gadkari underlined the strategic and religious importance of the link to Mansarovar, recalling that travel to the site previously required routes via Nepal and China and that the government has undertaken the challenging task of establishing a direct road. He conveyed that construction will proceed despite difficult terrain and logistical constraints and that efforts will focus on overcoming the identified impediments. The minister indicated coordination among agencies and authorities to tackle the complex sections. Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami praised the prime minister and set out a goal to make Uttarakhand the best state in the country, expressing confidence that the ruling party will secure victory in the 2027 assembly elections. He reiterated the state government’s commitment to work on development while preserving heritage and indicated that the administration would support projects that advance those aims. In a related development, the prime minister inaugurated the six-lane Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor in Dehradun. The 213-kilometre, access-controlled corridor has been developed at a cost of over Rs 120 billion (Rs 120 bn) and runs through Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. It is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Dehradun from over six hours to approximately two and a half hours. Officials indicated that agencies remain focused on completing outstanding sections and coordinating resources and clearances to meet the one-year completion target. The authorities said work will continue in phases and that progress will be monitored to ensure timely delivery.