Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has asked the Union defence ministry to retain the Air Force Audit Branch in Dehradun and allow the state Public Works Department (PWD) to continue managing maintenance of a major inter-district road ahead of the 2026 Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra.
The requests were made during a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi, where the chief minister outlined the administrative and logistical reasons for keeping both matters unchanged.
According to state officials, Dhami said the Air Force Audit Branch has long operated from Dehradun and benefits from the city’s strategic position. Uttarakhand shares international borders with China and Nepal, and the state hosts multiple defence and paramilitary establishments. The chief minister noted that such proximity allows for more effective coordination and operational convenience for audit personnel. He requested that any proposal to relocate the branch be reconsidered.
Data shared by the state during the meeting underscored that Dehradun has developed as a defence-linked administrative hub, with several federal and state agencies stationed in the region. Given these factors, Dhami argued that retaining the audit branch in its present location aligns with both security and administrative continuity. The defence minister, according to officials, assured the delegation that the issue would be reviewed positively.
The second matter discussed involved the Gwaldam–Nandkesari–Tharali–Dewal–Mundoli–Wan road, a mountain route spread across Chamoli district. It serves as the primary access corridor for local residents and is central to the Nanda Devi Raj Jat Yatra, a traditional pilgrimage that takes place every 12 years and draws participants from several states. The next event is scheduled for 2026.
Dhami requested that maintenance responsibilities for the road remain with the Uttarakhand PWD, which has overseen the route so far. He said that the department’s familiarity with the terrain, established workforce, and existing coordination with district authorities allow it to respond more effectively to recurring monsoon-season disruptions, including landslides and road subsidence.
Officials said the state government wants continuity in preparation work as the pilgrimage requires substantial pre-event infrastructure checks, slope stabilisation and repair schedules spanning multiple seasons. The administration believes that transferring control of the route could delay these processes at a time when the state is building its calendar for the 2026 event.
The defence minister is understood to have conveyed that the concerns would be examined in detail by the relevant departments.
