The Chief Minister's Office of Uttarakhand announced on Tuesday, 14 July 2026 that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has declared Dehradun Science City will be developed into a national centre for science and innovation, signalling a major push to position the state capital as a knowledge and research destination.

Context

Speaking on the planned project, CM Dhami stated — 'Vigyan aur navachar ka rashtriya kendra banegi Dehradun Science City' ('Dehradun Science City will become the national centre for science and innovation'). The announcement underlines the state government's intent to transform the existing science city proposal into a flagship infrastructure project with national relevance.

Dehradun, the capital of Uttarakhand, already hosts a cluster of premier scientific institutions including the Forest Research Institute and the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, giving the city a natural foundation for an expanded science and innovation ecosystem.

Policy Backdrop

The Dehradun Science City is a planned science museum and public innovation facility designed to promote scientific temper and technology outreach among students, educators, and the wider public. Such projects typically align with the framework of the National Council of Science Museums, an autonomous body established in 1978 under the Union government that has developed science cities in several states across India.

Uttarakhand has consistently sought to diversify its economy beyond its traditional pillars of tourism and hydropower. Successive state administrations have pursued knowledge-based infrastructure projects to leverage the state's existing concentration of research bodies and educational institutions. CM Dhami's declaration fits squarely within this longer policy arc.

Stakeholders and Impact

The primary beneficiaries of the project would be students, researchers, and local educators across Uttarakhand and neighbouring hill states, who currently have limited access to large-scale interactive science infrastructure. A national-level science city in Dehradun could also attract researchers, science communicators, and academic institutions from across the country.

Broader economic spillovers — including employment in construction, operations, and ancillary services — are anticipated for the Dehradun region. The project also aligns with wider national efforts to establish regional science hubs outside major metropolitan centres, reducing the concentration of innovation infrastructure in cities such as Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi.

What's Next

Key milestones to watch include formal approvals for central government funding, potential MoUs with the National Council of Science Museums, and the release of a phased construction timeline for the Science City campus. The state government's ability to secure Union support and private partnerships will be critical to translating the Chief Minister's vision into a ground-level project.

If realised at the scale envisioned, Dehradun Science City could set a precedent for how smaller state capitals leverage existing scientific infrastructure to build nationally significant innovation institutions — a model other hill states may look to replicate.