HP urges Centre for two new national highways

Shimla, Jun 24 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh Government has requested the Centre to give clearence to two proposed national highways linking Nagrota with Mubarakpur and Paonta Sahib with Hatkoti.

While speaking in the Highways Ministers conference in New Delhi Public Works Minister Thakur Gulab Singh requested the Centre that Nagrota-Mubarakpur road via Ranital and Dehra, and Paonta Sahib-Hatkoti road via Rajban and Shillai should be soon declared national highways keeping in view the strategic importance of these roads.

He said that planning commission had already given its sanction for these two new national highways and pleaded the Central Government to issue necessary notification in this regard.

Thakur Gulab Singh said that negligible rail network and limited road network has resultant limited investment in the industrial sector under special industrial package and mainly bordering areas have received industrial investments due to limited communication network in the state.

He also pleaded that Ropar-Nalagarh, Jubarhatti-Shimla and Ghumarwin-Jogindernagar State Highways should also be declared national highways.

He said that length under National Highways network should be doubled under next five years in the state and at least 250 kilometre new road network should be declared national highways in the state.

He said that state has long boundaries with China and Jammu and Kashmir and border areas road network should be given top priority keeping in view the strategic importance of these areas.

Mr Thakur said that State Government had formulated a plan to set up training institute for undertaking research and development for engineers and technicians to improve quality in road constructions and requested the Centre to provide liberal central assistance to the State Government for creating infrastructure to the institute.

He demanded the amendments in the central road funds and pleaded for reducing state share from present 50 percent to 10 percent for hilly states on the pattern of North East areas.

He also requested the Centre to abolish toll tax practices adopted on the bridges on by-passes on national highways as it amounts to jams and obstructs the traffic which creates problems for the commuters.

He requested the Centre to revise policy of toll taxes imposed on by-passes on national highways. He said that limited central financial assistance for maintenance of national highways had adversely affected the road conditions and it had deterioted in the recent years.

UNI XC PS MMS1945