39 km Parwanoo-Solan stretch on Shimla highway opened

Tribune News Service

Solan, June 24

Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport & Highways, today inaugurated the 39-km Parwanoo-Solan stretch of the Kalka-Shimla national highway-05 virtually from Kullu district today.

The work, which began in September 2015, was supposed to be completed within 30 months, but its smooth implementation was affected due unavailability of land, exodus of migrants during the Covid, besides an NGT order putting the work on hold for a few months owing to environmental concerns. It was supposed to be completed by March 2018.

About 97 per cent of the work has been completed and an overpass at Solan and a viaduct bride near Parwanoo were among a few structures which were yet to be completed by the GR Infraprojects, which was executing the project.

“The pending works were part of change of scope which were likely to be completed by September. The work assigned in the original project have, however, been completed. Barely 2.26 per cent land was available when the work had begun,” informed Balwinder Singh, project in-charge, GR Infraprojects.

The project cost has escalated from Rs 748 crore due to change of scope for executing additional work. “Additional Rs 123 crore have been sought from the National Highways Authority of India and our case is before the arbitration” said Singh.

The project also includes a 965-metre one-way tunnel on the Barog bypass which will reduce the distance from Shimla to Chandigarh by 3.5 km. Two railway overbridges have been constructed at Sanawar and Barog bypass and a flyover at Kumarhatti which will reduce the distance by three km.

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