Bir-Barot road opens, will boost tourism in Chhota Bhangal Valley

The Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) has made the 38-km Bir-Billing-Barot road operational, marking a significant milestone for connectivity and tourism in the Chhota Bhangal Valley. Over 95 per cent of the road’s construction is complete, with the remaining work expected to be finished within the next two months. The road has been opened for traffic in anticipation of the upcoming tourist season.

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With the completion of this road, the distance between Bir and Barot has been reduced from 80 km (via Jogindernagar) to just 38 km. Last month, local MLA Kishori visited the valley with PWD engineers to review the project and directed them to expedite its opening.

“This road will unlock new opportunities for tourism in the Chhota Bhangal Valley, as it traverses high mountain ranges, including a peak at 10,000 feet above sea level. Travelers will also experience snow-covered landscapes along the way, reaching Barot in just three hours from Bir,” said the Baijnath MLA.

The project, which had been stalled for nearly 30 years, was finally approved by the Congress government in 2016, with a sanctioned budget of over Rs 50 crore. The road will greatly benefit the tribal communities of Chhota and Bara Bhangal, who live in the snowbound Dhauladhar region for three months each year and migrate to lower areas during winter.