Gairsain: Summer Capital of Uttarakhand | 05 Mar 2020

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.

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.