After the city became the state capital in 2000, rapid and unchecked road-widening schemes led to the covering, or in some cases demolition, of most of the historic canals.
[1] Despite public protests and advisories from environmentalists about the ecological benefit of the canals, they were covered to make room for ever-increasing traffic.
[2] Many environmental groups have campaigned for the revival of the historic network, citing its aesthetic value and positive effects on the city's urban environment and microclimate.
[2][3] Currently, the Government of Uttarakhand has not announced any plans of reviving or restoring the canal network.
They also irrigated the paddy fields where Dehradun basmati rice were grown.