Chief Minister seeks funds to widen Palampur-Hamirpur state highway

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has urged Union Surface and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to approve a Detailed Project Report (DPR) seeking Rs 187 crore for upgrading the Palampur-Hamirpur state highway into a double-lane road. The Chief Minister also emphasised the need to declare the road a national highway, citing its strategic importance and heavy traffic load.

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The Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (HPPWD) has already submitted a DPR in two parts to the Ministry of Road and Surface Transport (MOT). Once approved, the project will be executed by the Palampur and Hamirpur circles of the PWD.

The 70-km-long Palampur-Hamirpur state highway connects key regions like Shimla, Chandigarh, Delhi, Hamirpur, Bilaspur and Una. Despite its heavy usage, the road has not been widened in over 30 years. Sukhu highlighted that with the opening of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway, the Palampur-Hamirpur route has become one of the shortest paths to Chandigarh, reducing travel distance by 60 km and travel time by 1.5 hours.

Although the road was briefly declared a national highway in 2017, the notification was later withdrawn. Sukhu stressed the immediate need for widening the road to accommodate the growing volume of traffic. He also noted that the improved highway would benefit towns like Palampur and Baijnath, enhancing connectivity and reducing congestion.

The Chief Minister’s appeal aims to secure much-needed funds to modernise the highway, improving safety and convenience for thousands of daily commuters.