Reviewing various National Highways projects with the senior officers of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and Public Works Department here today, Chief Minister, Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stressed on the earlier disbursement of the land acquisition compensation cases. “Settle all the compensation cases to avoid inconvenience to the people soon” directed Sh. Sukhu to district administration. Reviewing the road projects, the officers of NHAI officers were advised to construct these roads with futuristic approach, focusing on building tunnels and bridges for easing traffic congestion and saving time of the commuters. “Reduce timeline in preparing DPRs and awarding tenders to ensure early start of the projects” said he, adding that the State Government is working to provide the world class infrastructure to facilitate the commuters and it would also facilitate the tourists visiting the State. The construction work of four laning of Shimla-Matour, Kiratpur-Ner Chowk and Mandi-Pathankot National Highways should be accelerated so that people could take benefits from these projects in time, he said.
Sukhu said that with an estimated cost of Rs. 900 crore, a missing link of the bridge from Birhu to Lathiani in Una district will be constructed on the backwaters of Govindsagar Lake and DPR for the same should be submitted by 25th February, 2023. The widening of four lane from Nalagarh to Swarghat road with an outlay of Rs. 600 crore, widening of four lane from Kala Amb-Paonta Sahib-Dehradun with an estimated cost of Rs. 1200 crore, widening of four lane from Amb to Una and Punjab Border to Nadaun on NH-03, with an outlay of Rs. 1500 crore and construction of Una bypass with an estimated outlay of Rs. 500 crore have been approved. He said that about 178 kilometers four laning projects would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs. 4700 crore. Sanctions have been accorded for Rs. 750 crore, two-lane tunnel at Jalori Pass along-with approach road, Rs. 700 crore, Sainj-Luhri-Jalori-Banjar-Aut road, Rs. 100 crore two lane tunneling project on Nahan-Sarahan-Kumarhatti road and approaches across Nahan town, Rs. 700 crore for widening of two-lane from Nahan to Kumarhatti stretch, upgradation of NH-154A, and Rs. 300 crore for up gradation and improvement of NH 154-A from Punjab Border to Banikhet-Chamba-Bharmour road. Chief Minister said that to ensure time bound sanctions in FRA and FCA cases, the State Government has set up a committee under the Chairmanship of concerned Deputy Commissioner, with DFO and user agency as members. Public Works Minister, Vikramaditya Singh, Chief Secretary, Prabodh Saxena, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Bharat Khera, Engineer in Chief, PWD Ajay Gupta, Regional Officer of NHAI, Abdul Basit and Project Directors of Mandi, Shimla, Palampur and Hamirpur of NHAI were also present in the meeting.
