Road infrastructure being strengthened in HP

Shimla, Jul 20 (UNI) Himachal Pradesh will become the first state in the country by 2012 to plant environment friendly flowered bushes along its roads by adopting bio engineering technique to prevent any landslides, an official spokesman today said.

Under the HP State Road Project, bushes would be planted along state and national highways at an estimated cost of Rs 1365.43 crore to ensure stability of those hill slopes where roads have been constructed, he said in a release here.

The spokesman said under the project 435 km state highways and major district roads would be upgraded and periodic maintenance of 2000 km of roads carried out.

The Centre has provided 90 per cent loan assistance (Rs 990 crore) on grant basis for this ambitious project, which would cause minimum disturbance to wild life of the area and affecting existing plants or species, he said.

He said world class engineering practices were being adopted in respect of grades, cambers and crust thickness and computerized machinery would be used for the upgradation of roads and laying bituminous carpet.

Under this scheme, eight roads 44.82 km Mehatpur-Una-Amb road; 106.19 km Una-Agahar-Barsar-Jahu-Bhambla- Kalkhar road, 80.68 km Theog-Kotkhai-Hatkoti-Rohru road, 41.95 km Sarkaghat-Ghumarwin road, 39.17 km Ranital-Kotla road, 71.74 km Kumarhatti-Sarahan-Nahan road, 24 km Draman Sihunta roads and 26.80 km Bhawarana Lambagaon road would be upgraded.

The spokesman said Independent Infrastructure Road Development Corporation would be responsible for issuing the review report and certificate to ensure quality work.

The payments of work done would be made after certification by independent supervision consultant appointed by World Bank authorities, he added.

MORE UNI AS HS MMS1600