Projects will bring prosperity to Himachal Pradesh.

Indian has announced new opportunities for road and highway expansion this week in the northern states of Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, reaching up to Leh in the mountains of Kashmir.

The widening of National Highway (NH) 21 will cut journey to Kullu-Manali, and Leh bringing making it easier for tourist travel and bringing prosperity to Himachal Pradesh.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the four-laning of Pandoh Bypass to Takoli’ section of NH-21 in the state.

It is a sub project of the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) larger project for four-laning of NH-21 from Kiratpur in Punjab to Manali in Himachal Pradesh.

The other four sub–projects of this project include Kiratpur-Nerchowk, Nerchowk-Pandoh, Takoli-Kullu and Kullu-Manali.

Work on three of the sub-projects is already going on, and is likely to start shortly for the fourth sub project, said a press note from the Cabinet.

Completion of all five sub projects will provide all weather connectivity to important tourist destinations like Kullu and Manali and further up to Leh.

The 19-km Pandoh-Takoli sub project is estimated to cost Rs.2,775.93 crore including cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities.

It will be done under National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase IV B on Hybrid Annuity Mode.

The four-laning of NH-21 from Kiratpur to Manali will provide all weather connectivity to important tourist destinations i.e. Kullu & Manali and further upto Leh.

This will help in reduction in accidents and saving of precious human lives due to construction of tunnels in the accident prone land slide areas.

The distance from Kiratpur to Manali will get reduced by 38 km, resulting in a time saving of approximately three hours. This will result in huge saving in terms of fuel consumption and wear and tear cost of vehicles, said the note.

It has been estimated that a total number of 4,076 man-days are required for construction of one kilometre of highway. As such, employment potential of about 77,000 man-days will be generated locally during the construction period of the Pandoh-Takoli section alone.

NHAI is also executing the four-laning of NH-22 from Parwanoo to Shimla (including Shimla Bypass). The 89.71 km project will cost Rs.2,739 crore. The work has already been started in the stretch from Parwanoo to Solan. The project construction from Solan to Shimla is likely to commence shortly.

The DPR preparations for four-laning of following projects have also been undertaken by the NHAI:

HP/Punjab border to Mandi km 11.00-208.00, cost Rs.4,432.50 cr.

Pinjor Bypass–Nalagarh km 00.00 to km 35.00, cost Rs.405.00 crore.

Shimla–Mataur km 0.00 to km 223.070, cost Rs.4,905 crore. fii-news.com