Himachal to be included under Nirbhaya scheme

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 30

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari has accepted the request of state Transport Minister GS Bali to include Himachal in the purview of Nirbhaya scheme.

Apart from this, Gadkari has agreed to undertake more specific projects under the road safety initiatives.

Bali said crash barriers, road signage, by-lanes should be made mandatory in all-road projects. He also urged Gadkari to consider funding, snow cutters, cranes and trauma centres under road safety, besides providing financial assistance for setting up inspection and certification centres, drivers’ training schools and fixing VTS on all public transport vehicles.

Bali also requested the Union Minister to upgrade Nagrota town by-pass road in Kangra district. He also urged him to construct a railway over bridge on the Samloti-Sarotri road, one on NH-154 and Nagrota-Masal road, NH-154 and to sanction multi-facility wayside amenities for NH Kiratpur-Nerchowk and four laning of the road near Bhaged.

He said there were four water bodies in the state namely Govind Sagar in Bilaspur district, Pong Dam in Kangra district, Chamera Lake in Chamba district and Pandoh Lake in Mandi district and urged Gadkari to direct inland water authorities to provide water transport facilities in these water bodies. Bali said the Centre has agreed in principle to provide financial assistance to set up crash barriers and other facilities on national highways in the state.

He said Gadkari committed to provide more funding for Himachal and providing at least one drivers’ training school and inspection and certification centre in each Assembly segment of the state. He said Gadkari agreed that the Centre would fund a dry port for Himachal on any location suggested by the state government and developing air landing facility on important water bodies in the state.