Blame game on, Pathankot-Mandi NH upkeep suffers

PALAMPUR: The tussle between the HP state Public Works Department and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) over transfer of administrative control of the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway has resulted in extensive damage to the road in the past six month.

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, July 10

The tussle between the HP state Public Works Department and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) over transfer of administrative control of the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway has resulted in extensive damage to the road in the past six month. The highway is in a state of neglect as no maintenance work has been carried out by either the PWD or the NHAI.

The Ministry of Shipping and Transport had granted its approval for upgrading the highway into four lanes last year and the PWD withdrew its maintenance staff from the national highway handing over the control to the NHAI.

Ravinder Kumar Minhas, Superintending Engineer, PWD, NH Circle, Sahapur, stated the road had already been handed over to the NHAI and the state PWD had no administrative control over it. He said the allocation of funds for its maintenance had been discontinued by the NHAI. Therefore, the PWD was helpless in maintaining it. He further said now it was the responsibility of the NHAI to maintain it.

However, Sandeep Gaud, Project Director, NHAI, Palampur, said only a few stretches of the road had been transferred to the NHAI and the control of a major portion of the road was still with the state PWD. Therefore, the NHAI could not be blamed for its poor maintenance. He said he had no manpower to look after the 220-km long road between Pathankot and Mandi. He stated the PWD should send a proposal for the allocation of funds and same would be released by the NHAI. He said his basic job was to execute the four-lane project.

In the present scenario, the Pathankot- Mandi National Highway, considered the lifeline of 40 lakh residents of the northern region of Himachal is in poor condition. Neither the state PWD nor the NHAI is looking after its maintenance. The road is full of potholes at many points and during the rainy season most of the drains have choked resulting in overflowing of muck on the highway. This has resulted in extensive damage to the road.

The Pathankot-Mandi National Highway is one of the key roads of the country, which links Pathankot with Leh via Manali. After the disturbed conditions in Jammu and Kashmir, this road has gained importance as army authorities use it for moving supplies and forces to Leh and other boarder areas.