Gairsain: Summer Capital of Uttarakhand

• 05 Mar 2020

Why in News

Recently, the Uttarakhand Government named Gairsain as the new summer capital of the state.

• A summer capital is a city used as an administrative capital during extended periods of particularly hot weather.

Key Points

• Uttarakhand (earlier known as Uttranchal) was carved out as a separate state from Uttar Pradesh in 1998. Those who spearheaded the movement for statehood to Uttarakhand wanted Gairsain to be made its permanent capital.
• However, Dehradun has been the temporary capital of the state since it attained statehood and still houses the chief minister’s residence, Raj Bhavan and MLA residences.
  
  • The state Assembly is located in Dehradun but sessions are held in Gairsain as well.
• Statehood activists had long contended that Gairsain, a tehsil in Chamoli district, was best suited to be the capital of the mountainous state as it was a hilly region falling on the border of Kumaon and Garhwal regions.
  
  • It covers a large area suitable for the construction of the capital and accommodating people.
  • It is emerging as a tourist place and it is also a part of the major route connecting Garhwal with the Kumaon region.
  • It is the site of the source of the Ramganga River which rises near the Dudhatoli Parvat.
  • The famous tourist attractions are the Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (UNESCO World Heritage Site), Badrinath, Vasundhara Falls etc.
• With the fresh announcement, there is no clarity whether Dehradun’s current status will remain the same or it will be considered the new winter capital.

Source: IE