Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu urged Union Minister for Road Transport and National Highways Nitin Gadkari to declare 39.20 km Ranital-Kotla and 41.50 km Ghumarwin-Jahu-Sarkaghat roads as National Highways. The Chief Minister said that these roads have already been constructed to National Highway standards and stand declared ‘in-principle National Highway’.
He said that roads were the major mode of transport in the hill state. He added that no new National Highway has been declared for Himachal in the last 8 years. The Chief Minister was speaking in the review meeting of National Highway Projects chaired by the Union Minister at New Delhi.
Sukhu requested to release Rs. 172.97 crore for restoration of various state roads adjoining National Highways that got damaged due to flash floods and lanslides during the monsoon season last year. He said that these roads include Kullu- Manali, Mandi-Kamand-Katola-Bajaura road and Chail-Gohar-Pandoh road.
The Chief Minister informed that announcement was made by the Union Minister, during his visit to the state after the monsoon-led disaster caused heavy losses in the state, that centre shall provide adequate funds for the repair and restoration of damaged state roads within a distance of one km from the National Highways. He said that these roads were of significance as they ease traffic congestions on the National Highways and also proved vital during previous monsoon season wherein many road stretches were damaged on Kullu-Manali Highway.
The Chief Minister said that Shimla-Mataur National Highway is an important highway of the state providing connectivity to eight districts with the state capital and adjoining states. He said that the development of highway corridor in different configurations is not advisable from road safety point of view and requested to issue directions to authorities for uniform upgradation of the highways to four lane standards instead of two lane standards.
Sukhu also informed that 69 in-principle National Highways were declared by Gadkari. Alignment reports for 58 in-principle National Highways were submitted to the Union Ministry for approval in 2018-19, he stated, adding that approval for these alignment reports was awaited and requested for speedy action.
Gadkari assured the Chief Minister of appropriate action on each of the issues. He also directed contractors for timely completion of the works.
PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh, CPS Sundar Singh Thakur, Chief Minister’s Principal Advisor Ram Subhag Singh, Principal Secretary Devesh Kumar, Chief Minister’s Secretary Rakesh Kanwar, Resident Commissioner Meera Mohanty and officers of the concerned departments from the State and Centre were present during the meeting.
