Uttarakhand’s Tehri Garhwal to get facelift with $126.4 million; Centre, ADB signs loan agreement to promote tourism  

The Union Government and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $126.42 million loan agreement to promote rural development through sustainable and climate-resilient tourism in the Tehri Garhwal district of Uttarakhand which sits 5,700 ft above sea level and is one of the most climate-vulnerable and economically disadvantaged regions of the Himalayan State.

According to a communique from the Finance Ministry, the project aims to benefit more than 87,000 residents and 2.7 million annual visitors to the area, which also houses Tehri lake, a man-made reservoir in created by the Tehri Dam on the Bhagirathi River. The funds will be used to improve tourism planning, upgraded infrastructure, enhanced sanitation and waste management, and disaster preparedness.

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The other key interventions under the project includes institutional strengthening, climate-resilient infrastructure, nature-based solutions to mitigate landslide and flood risks along with planning of an inclusive tourism services led by women, youth, and the private sector.

“Notable features include a livelihood matching grant programme to support tourism led by women, youth, and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, universal access design including for persons with disability, and a women-led disaster risk management initiative in pilot villages,” the communique reads.

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Juhi Mukherjee, Joint Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance said that the ADB loan supports the Uttarakhand Government’s policy to position the State as a diversified, all-weather tourism destination.

“The project showcases a model for sustainable tourism anchored around a hydropower lake by adopting a multisector approach to generate jobs, diversify income, and build climate resilience,” said Kai Wei Yeo, Officer-in-Charge, India Resident Mission, for ADB.