From a mountain gateway arch in Pithoragarh to interlocking village lanes in Champawat, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has cleared a sweeping basket of local infrastructure and religious-site projects across Uttarakhand — releasing first-tranche funds that will move construction machinery into some of the state's most remote hill constituencies.

Roads cut through three constituencies

Three separate road projects anchored the announcement. In Pithoragarh assembly constituency, ₹8.93 lakh was sanctioned for a Moti Marg entrance gate on the Encholi Jakh motor road. In Champawat constituency, a new link road from Selagad to Kotkendri received ₹40.53 lakh. The largest of the three road sanctions went to Nai Tehri constituency — ₹52.06 lakh for an RCC Khadinja railing road from Gram Puliya Name Panchayat Khadikhaal to Bhari Kemar village, Dabra Pani Tok, with a first instalment of ₹31.23 lakh released immediately.

Pilgrim amenities and temple beautification

Religious infrastructure drew the biggest individual outlays. In Pithoragarh, the Dhwaj Jayanti Mata Mandir will receive ₹97 lakh — covering housing, drinking water, toilets, and approach paths for pilgrims — with a first instalment of ₹58.25 lakh approved. In Purola constituency's Naugaon development block, the revered Shri Rudreshwar Maharaj Mandir Billa of the Rawain Valley will be beautified at a cost of ₹1.79 crore, the first instalment pegged at ₹1.07 crore.

Almora district received two temple beautification approvals: ₹98.80 lakh for Malli Manila Mandir in the Salt constituency (first tranche ₹59.28 lakh), and ₹98.50 lakh for Bhimadevi Mandir at Bhetabadoli in the Jageshwar constituency's Dhauladevi development block (first tranche ₹59.1 lakh).

Gadarpur temples, DDihat road, and Champawat village lanes

In Udham Singh Nagar district, three villages under Gadarpur constituency — Rambag, Haripura, and Panchannapur — will get new temple and dharamshala complexes at a combined cost of ₹2.54 crore, with ₹1.02 crore released in the first instalment. A CC link road from Nainipatal to Naaghar Inter College in Pithoragarh district's DDihat constituency was cleared for ₹79.87 lakh (first tranche ₹47.92 lakh). Rounding out the connectivity push, Champawat constituency's gram panchayats Mairoli and Badapas will see internal lanes paved with interlocking tiles at a total outlay of ₹3.89 crore, with ₹1.87 crore flowing in the first instalment.

A statue for a freedom fighter in Lohaghat

One approval stood apart from the infrastructure list. CM Dhami sanctioned ₹32.49 lakh for the installation of a statue honouring the late freedom fighter Kalyan Singh Adhikari in Barakot development block of Lohaghat constituency, Champawat district — a gesture of public memory in a region where independence-era contributions often go unmarked.

Across hill constituencies where terrain makes every kilometre of road a political and logistical achievement, these approvals signal that the state machinery is moving — the real test now is whether the funds reach the ground before the next monsoon turns the slopes impassable.