Centre approves widening of Shimla-Zirakpur road

Shimla, Apr 23 (UNI) To ease traffic congestion on the Shimla-Zirakpur road, the Centre has approved its widening under the National Highway Development Programme this fiscal, an official spokesman today said.

The project likely cost more than Rs. 1,000 crore would be implemented by National Highway Authority of India for which land acquisition process has already began and includes the construction of 13 km Kalka bypass.

Till now 196 projects of Rs. 264 crore have been sanctioned by NABARD, while 807 projects incurring an expenditure of Rs 787 crore have been sanctioned under the Prime Minister Gramin Sadak Yojna (PMGSY), the spokesman said.

The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways has also approved the construction of the Chandigarh-Baddi road, to be constructed by Punjab and Haryana governments in their respective territories, with an estimated cost of Rs 13 crore, he said, adding the road would be completed by October 2007.

He said the government had also decided to widen 800 km of Mehatpur-Una-Amb Road, Una-Agahar Barsar-Jahu-Rewalsar-Mandi Road, Ghumarwin-Sarkaghat-Jogindernagar Road, Theog-Kotkhai- Rohru Road and Kumarhatti-Sarahan-Nahan road.

The spokesman said the detailed expenditure estimates on the roads were being prepared by the consultants.

The government was also considering a proposal for the widening of the Solan-Yashwantnagar Sainj and Mubarkpur- Chintpurni-Dehra-Dharamsala roads and feasibility report for these roads was being prepared, he said.

The Centre has already approved the widening of the Dehra-Ranital road, construction of the Kangra bypass and Mataur-Gaggal-Dharamsala road under the Central Road Fund.

He said the portion between Ranital to Kangra bypass would be taken up under the National Highway project, while the government has already asked for preparing a feasibility reports and a detailed project report for the construction of Lathiyani bridge.

The government would soon appoint consultants to study the feasibility report and design of tunnels underneath Swarghat, Khara Pather and Shimla town, he said.

Himachal Pradesh has a network of about 25,600 km of motor able road and 14,000 km of tarred road length.

In order to facilitate the rural people and those living in the remote areas of the state, he said the government would link all panchayats by roads during the next two years.

The spokesman said all the left-out 513 panchayats, out of a total of 3,037, would be connected by motor able roads during the next two years.

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