Approved in 2017, work to widen Bhuntar-Manikaran road yet to start

Quote: Work to start next year

“The project is on the CM’s priority list. The work on the road widening will be started by next year.” – KK Sharma, Superintending Engineer, PWD, Kullu

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, December 10

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

The Manikaran valley is a famous religious and tourist destination and visitors throng the place throughout the year. The residents of the area rued that the condition of the road was pitiable and vehicles got stuck in traffic jam.

The residents alleged that many fatal mishaps had occurred due to the bad condition of the road. They said at the time of elections, politicians assured them that the condition of the road would be improved, but conveniently forget the matter after 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 provide a boost to the tourism industry of the region.

Manikaran is a famous pilgrimage centre as the historical Ram Temple and the Manikaran Sahib Gurdwara are located here. The area is famous for hot water springs and people recovering from skin diseases or arthritis have a holy dip in the pools here.

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

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Caption: The narrow Bhuntar-Manikaran road in Kullu.