Approved in 2017, work to widen road yet to start

hinav Vashisht

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Kullu, December 14

The widening of the Bhuntar-Manikaran road had been approved under the Bharatmala Pariyojana in March, 2017, but the work has not yet started. Then Mandi MP Ram Swaroop Sharma had said Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari had approved Rs 430 crore for the project. He had said that a detailed project report was being prepared and construction would commence soon. However, nothing has been done in the past four years.

The residents allege that many fatal mishaps have occurred on the stretch. They say that at the time of elections, politicians assured them that the condition of the road would be improved, but forget it once the results are out.

Dhiraj, a resident, said the widening of the road was a dire necessity as the volume of vehicles plying on the road was increasing every day. He said agriculturists of the Parbati valley were dependent on this road. Its widening would boost tourism industry.

KK Sharma, Superintending Engineer, PWD, said the Bharatmala project was under the Centre and the PWD had provided the requisite data to the NHAI. “However, the project was then included in the state projects. So, it is on the CM’s priority list and work will be started next year,” he said.