Sharda River Corridor

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami laid the foundation stone of the Sharda River Corridor at Tanakpur in Champawat district, marking the launch of a large-scale infrastructure and tourism development initiative for the region. The Chief Minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for several other development projects during the visit.

The ambitious Sharda River Corridor project is proposed to cover nearly 200 square kilometres of Champawat district, with an estimated investment of ₹3,300 crore across multiple components. The project is aimed at boosting regional connectivity, tourism, employment generation and economic development.

As part of the corridor plan, the state government has proposed facilities for adventure tourism, including river rafting on the Sharda River and paragliding, to attract domestic and international tourists.

The Sharda River, an important Himalayan river system, originates in the Greater Himalayas at Kalapaani in Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, at an altitude of about 3,600 metres. The river is known by multiple names, including Mahakali, Kali Ganga and Sharda.

Flowing through Uttarakhand, the Sharda enters Uttar Pradesh, where it merges with the Ghaghra River near Bahraich, around 30 km downstream. The Ghaghra River, also known as the Karnali, originates in the Tibetan Plateau, flows through Nepal, and then traverses Uttar Pradesh and Bihar before finally joining the Ganga.

Officials said the Sharda River Corridor is expected to emerge as a major tourism and cultural hub, while also highlighting the ecological and geographical significance of the river system in the Himalayan region.