From the canal town to the Doon
Roorkee and Dehradun are close, and many IIT, research and army families move between them. The road runs north-west through Bhagwanpur's industrial area and Chhutmalpur, then over the forested Shivaliks into the Doon valley. At about 71 km, a household can be packed in the morning and unloaded by early afternoon.
Campus and cantonment paperwork
Leaving IIT housing or the Bengal Sappers' cantonment, and arriving at a research institute, the IMA or another establishment in Dehradun, usually means vehicle passes, set hours and handover or allotment paperwork at both ends. Arrange them before the date. If your institute or unit is paying, ask what documents they need; every mover we work with provides a GST invoice.
Kanwar weeks
In Shravan, usually July or August, the roads around Roorkee and Haridwar fill with Kanwariyas, and trucks are restricted or diverted for days. Avoid those weeks; the rest of the year the drive is straightforward.
Arriving in Dehradun
Coming down into the Doon, the truck reaches Clement Town and the southern colonies first. The busy centre around the Clock Tower is crowded, and Rajpur Road, Vasant Vihar, Prem Nagar and the roads towards Sahastradhara and Mussoorie have bungalows, houses and newer complexes, some on steep approaches. Tell the mover the exact address and how steep the approach is.
Weather near the hills
The monsoon, about July to September, brings heavy rain to the Shivaliks and the Doon, and landslides or fallen trees can slow the forest road. Ask for waterproof wrapping and keep the date flexible. Dehradun's winters are cooler than Roorkee's.
October to November and February to April are usually the easiest windows.
Books, instruments and academic homes
Academic and research families often have large libraries and delicate instruments. Ask for books to go in small, strong cartons labelled by shelf, instruments double-boxed, and research data and certificates carried with you.
Schools and families
Dehradun's schools draw many families from Roorkee. Check the new school's admission dates and the transfer certificate before the move, and pack school things in a carton that's unloaded first.
Festivals and dates
Diwali, Holi and the Kumbh years at Haridwar keep crews busy, and the summer tourist season fills the Mussoorie road. Choose a date clear of these if you can.
Packing for the hills
The Shivalik crossing has bends, so ask for heavy cartons to be loaded low and tied, glass packed in its own cartons, and wooden furniture wrapped in blankets.
IIT to the Doon
Faculty and research staff moving from IIT Roorkee to Dehradun's institutes, such as the forest and Himalayan research centres and the oil company's offices, often have delicate equipment and large libraries. Ask for instruments to be double-boxed, books packed in small, strong cartons labelled by shelf, and data carried with you.
Settling in
Find out how water, power backup and heating work in the new home, and book internet as soon as you have the address. Hindi is spoken at both ends, with Garhwali widely heard in Dehradun.