In-principle approval for four-laning of Shimla-Mataur and Mandi-Pathankot road projects

Shimla : Apropos to discussion held with the Union Road Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari on the development of road infrastructure in the state during his recent visit to Delhi, Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today took a review meeting with National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), and discussed the progress made in this direction.

The Chief Minister said that strengthening road connectivity in the state was our priority and the National Highways Authority of India should speed up the work on four-lane road projects being executed in the state.

He said that the state government would provide full cooperation to NHAI and has simplified various procedures of forest and other clearances and have fixed a timeline for the completion of projects.

The Chief Minister informed that the NHAI has agreed in principle for four-laning the road project from Shimla to Matour amounting to Rs. 10,000 crore and four-laning from Pathankot to Mandi to cost Rs. 12,000 crore.

Besides, the NHAI will present a concept paper as on how to minimize and prevent the landslides which occur due to expansion of roads in the state and will spend an amount of Rs 300 crore on the same.

He said that due to better road connectivity, the footfall of tourists was likely to increase and will provide them with basic highway facilities. He said that the State Government has decided to develop Kangra as a tourism capital and the Pathankot-Mandi and Shimla-Mataur four-laning will prove beneficial from the point of tourism.

The detailed project reports of the Pathankot-Mandi four-laning road project should be prepared soon, except for the portion of the road of around 19 kilometers adjoining Mandi town, he said. Besides, the Chief Minister also instructed to prepare the DPR of Hamirpur bypass.

The Chief Minister said that the process to provide compensation for the land acquired for these projects has been expedited and necessary instructions have been issued to the concerned Deputy Commissioners in this regard.

The Chief Minister also urged for cooperation for construction of ropeways, especially Himani Chamunda and Bijli Mahadev Ropeway. Provision for charging stations at a reasonable distance for electric vehicles in these four-lane road projects should be ensured so that the State Government’s motto to completely launch electric vehicles in the state could be executed.

Where-ever possible, the NHAI should assure the feasibility for tunneling to ease traffic congestion and save time of the commuters, he said. Member NHAI Manoj Kumar was especially present in this meeting.

In the meeting, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh, Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Sanjay Awasthi, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Bharat Khera, Principal Secretary, R.D. Nazim and Onkar Chand Sharma, Regional Officer of National Highways Authority of India, Abdul Basit and other senior officials were present.