Mumbai, Nov. 9 -- Rajasthan approved the alignment on 2 November 2026 for a proposed 22-km road linking Gulabganj with Mount Abu. The project, estimated at Rs. 2.25 bn, is intended to provide an alternative route to the hill station. The alignment approval does not mean construction has started.
A state-level technical committee assessed three alignment options and selected the route that follows an existing gravel road as the most suitable. A Detailed Project Report is being prepared, with Rs. 10 mn earmarked for the exercise. Once completed, the report will provide the technical and planning basis for subsequent decisions on the road.
The proposed route is expected to reduce the distance between Sirohi and Mount Abu from about 100 km to around 55 km. The shorter alignment is intended to improve access to the hill station while creating an alternative to the existing route. Further action will depend on the completion of the project report and the required clearances.
The route passes through the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, meaning Forest Department clearance and other environmental approvals remain pending. The approval of the alignment is therefore separate from permission to divert forest land or begin construction. The project is also linked to an allocation of Rs. 2.25 bn from the Central Road Fund.
The proposed road crosses the eco-sensitive zone around the sanctuary, which was notified on 11 November 2020. Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is part of the Khathiar-Gir dry deciduous forests ecoregion. Diversion of forest land for non-forest use generally requires prior Central Government approval under India's forest-conservation law. The Central Road Fund was renamed the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund under the Finance Act 2018, expanding its eligible uses beyond roads.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.