Four-laning of Shimla-Kalka road up to Solan only, says Baalu

Shimla, Sep 22 (UNI) Announcing that the four-laning of the Shimla-Kalka part of the National Highway No 22 will now be restricted up to Solan town only, Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T R Baalu today said the decision was taken following discussions with Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

The Transport Ministry has accepted Mr Singh's request for four laning the road between Kalka and Solan only since the government does not desire to turn it into a toll way, he said, while addressing mediapersons, here.

Mr Baalu was here to chair the ninth meeting of the National Road Safety Council and 31st meeting of the Transport Development Council, which was taking place outside Delhi for the first time.

The project would involve an outlay of about Rs 639 crore, he said, adding the highway up to Solan would be four-laned in two phases.

He said in the first phase, construction of the 30 km long stretch between Zirakpur and Parwanoo would be taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 298 crore, while in the second phase, the 45 km long stretch of road between Parwanoo and Solan would be constructed, incurring an expenditure of 341 crore.

All four-lane highways being constructed in the country would be completed by 2012 by spending a sum of Rs 22,000 crore, he said.

He said the state government has been asked to shift all utilities along the highway so that construction work could be taken up at the earliest.

The central government would also be signing the state support agreement for the project soon, he said.

Retorting to a question on the road to Baddi that was not being linked to Chandigarh by the Punjab Government, he clarified the Centre would intervene in the matter after talking to the chief ministers of both the states.

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