Dhami seeks Centre's nod for forest land to shift Uttarakhand High Court

Pushkar Singh Dhami urged Bhupender Yadav to expedite forest land transfer for the Haldwani court complex. The move is intended to ease Nainital's access, congestion and safety constraints.Stock photo used for illustrationDehradun,Nov 3, 2026 23:50 ISTUttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has sought the Centre's prompt action on a proposal to transfer reserved forest land for relocating the Uttarakhand High Court from Nainital to Haldwani, news agency Press Trust of India reported.Dhami raised the matter during a meeting with Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav in New Delhi on Tuesday evening. The land is required to build a permanent high court complex in Haldwani's Lamachaur area, according to an official statement.The chief minister told Yadav that the existing high court complex, located at the foothills of China Peak in Nainital, faces several challenges, including the risk of landslides, traffic congestion and heavy tourist movement.The state government said Nainital's status as a major tourist destination leads to a steady influx of tourists and litigants throughout the year, affecting access to the court complex and parking arrangements. It said modern judicial infrastructure suited to future requirements was essential. "The state government is committed to making the judicial system in the state more robust, modern and convenient. The proposed site in the Lamachaur area of Haldwani enjoys excellent connectivity to roads and national highways. Establishing a permanent high court complex here would provide the necessary infrastructure for the expansion of judicial operations, while also offering improved accessibility and other essential amenities for judges, advocates, litigants and the general public," Dhami said, according to the statement cited by PTI.Dhami said the state government was giving priority to the procedures required for constructing the permanent complex and was coordinating continuously with the Union government and the departments concerned. Referring to a Supreme Court order, he stressed the need to provide land for the new building and ensure that the site was handed over and formally transferred within the stipulated timeframe.Dhami asked Yadav to take prompt action on the proposal to transfer and divert reserved forest land in Lamachaur. He said a modern and permanent high court complex would strengthen the state's judicial infrastructure and make judicial services more accessible, organised and effective.Yadav assured Dhami that positive and proactive action would be taken on the proposal, the statement said. The proposed transfer of forest land is a key step in the state government's plan to move the high court from Nainital to a permanent complex in Haldwani.- Ends