HP to connect 305 villages with roads this year

Shimla, Aug 14 (UNI) The Himachal Pradesh Government has planned to connect each 305 villages having 500 plus population with roads by the end of this financial year.

This was stated by Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal in a meeting of Public Development Work department here yesterday. He said that by 2012 all the villages having more than 250 population would be connected with roads and by 2020 the government had planned to link 17,449 villages of the state.

He said that 8,115 villages in state already have road connectivity.

He disclosed the government will construct six tunnel, which includes tunnel from Lift to HIMFED petrol pump, St. Bed's to IGMC, Sanjauli to Dhalli, Ranital Tunnel, Kainchi More to Mela village Naina Devi temple tunnels.

Mr Dhumal said new tunnels from Kullu to Bhuboo Jot, Bangana to Dhaneta road, Holi to Utrala have been proposed and feasiblity report is being prepared in association of HP State Electricity Board Engineers.

The Chief Minister said that Planning Commission had agreed to declare Ngrota-Ranital-Dehra-Mubarakpur and Paonta-Rajban- Shillai-Hatkoti road as National Highways.

He said that State has also sent proposal to National Highway Authority to declare Taradevi-Jubberhatti-Kunihar-Nalagarh road as a National Highway.

He said that state has 1,164 km long National Highways and additional 2,424 kms road will be added in coming years.

UNI XC PS MP PM0425