CM unhappy with Theog-Hatkoti road progress

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News service

Shimla, March 30

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh today expressed dissatisfaction over the progress of work on the Theog-Hatkoti road and said the project should have been split and awarded to two contractors (Theog to Khara Patthar and Khara Patthar to Rohroo).

Replying during the discussion on demands for roads and bridges, he said: “Professionalism on the part of the contractor is missing,” but assured the House that the alternative route to Rohroo via Narkanda and Baghi would be repaired for smooth traffic before the coming apple season.

Expressing concern over the quality of material used in the construction of roads, Singh said contractors doing shady worker should be shunted out and blacklisted by the Public Works Department, while good contractors should be encouraged.

The government is alive to the condition of roads and doing the needful, but continuous bad weather was hampering works and damage to roads was continuing due to rains, he said.

Keeping in mind the geographical conditions and difficult terrain, construction of roads, bridges and buildings have been provided top priority by the government and an allocation of Rs 884.20 crore had been made for the construction of roads, bridges and buildings and procurement of machinery which for 2015-16 was 8.20 per cent more than current year’s budget, he said.

Increasing road density was a criteria for the allotment of the budget for the construction of roads and the present road density of the state was 60.72 km per 100 km of the area, he said.

He reiterated that all 3243 panchayats in the state would be linked by road and informed that 3,117 have already been provided road connectivity and only 126 panchayats were left.

A special budget provision of Rs 6.18 crore was made during 2015-16 to link the left-out roads.

“At present, there are 1,903 bridges in the state and the government intends to construct 24 bridges during 2015-16 with an allocation of Rs 15.25 crore,” he said.

Speaking on the cut motion, BJP leader ID Dhiman rued that the roads were full of potholes and the PWD was not maintaining these properly causing inconvenience to people.

Suresh Bhardwaj (BJP) rued that the condition of road in the state capital Shimla was pathetic in spite of the fact that it was the most important tourist destination.

Bikram Singh (BJP) alleged that his constituency was being meted out a step-brotherly treatment in construction and maintenance of roads.

The members also expressed resentment over a large number of vacant posts in the PWD affecting works

The House passed the demands and all cut motions by BJP members were rejected.