25 years on, Uttarakhand still awaits a permanent capital; Gairsain movement gains push

Social and cultural groups linked to the state announced that they will organise a massive peaceful protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on September 21.

New Delhi: The long-pending demand to make Gairsain (Bharadisain) the permanent capital of Uttarakhand is once again gaining momentum. Social and cultural groups linked to the state announced that they will organise a massive peaceful protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on September 21. Thousands of people from NCR and Uttarakhand are expected to participate.

The announcement came during a press conference at the Press Club of India, organised by the “Sthayi Rajdhani Gairsain Samiti”. Former bureaucrats, retired officials, and eminent personalities from different walks of life joined the call for action.

“Capital Will Revive Hill Economy”

Vinod Prasad Raturi, former IAS officer and convener of the committee, presented a detailed plan and strategy for pushing Gairsain as the permanent capital. He argued that crores of rupees have already been spent on building infrastructure in Bharadisain, including the assembly building and land acquisition of nearly 500 acres.
Raturi stressed that making Gairsain the capital would revive Uttarakhand’s rural economy and help reverse the large-scale migration from the hills. “Around 3,000 villages in the state have become ghost villages due to migration. Declaring Gairsain as the capital can trigger reverse migration and breathe new life into barren farmlands and abandoned homes,” he said.

Peaceful protest on September 21

The September 21 protest at Jantar Mantar will begin with a tribute to the 42 martyrs of the Uttarakhand statehood movement, followed by speeches from several prominent figures. Organisers clarified that the movement will remain apolitical.

Former Uttarakhand Assembly Secretary Jagdish Chandra called it an “injustice” that the state has not been given a permanent capital even after 25 years of its formation, while all other newly created states received theirs at inception. Committee members claimed that 6,000 to 7,000 people are likely to gather for the demonstration.

Other speakers, including advocates and activists, suggested that the fight for Gairsain could also take a legal route. A dedicated legal team is preparing to explore options in the High Court and even the Supreme Court if necessary.

Support From Uttarakhand community

The press conference also saw the participation of several social leaders, including Sunil Jadli, Devendra Raturi, Vijay Dhyandi, and Rekha Bhatt, all voicing support for the cause.

The movement aims to force the state government to take a clear decision and finally fulfill the decades-old promise made during the Uttarakhand statehood struggle that Gairsain would be the true capital of the hill state.