Kullu-Manali’s Left Bank Road widening plan stuck in files

The scenic Kullu-Manali Left Bank Road, a vital corridor in Himachal Pradesh, stands as a paradox: indispensable during emergencies yet persistently neglected in development. Despite its proven role in disaster response, particularly during the catastrophic floods of 1995 and 2023, the long-promised double-laning project remains stalled, buried in bureaucratic red tape.

During floods, when major highways were rendered impassable, this narrow stretch became the only viable passage, facilitating the evacuation of thousands of stranded tourists from Manali. Yet, its strategic value has failed to translate into sustained infrastructural investment. Today, the road is in a khasta (wretched) condition, riddled with potholes that make daily commuting an ordeal.

The widening of the Left Bank Road has been a topic of discussion for years. In June 2021, Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari announced the double-laning of the Kullu-Naggar-Manali stretch as a priority project. However, more than three years later, the alignment of the road has yet to be finalised, and no tangible progress has been made.

In January 2023, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) took over the project from the state Public Works Department and assigned the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) to Lion Engineering Consultants Pvt Ltd, in collaboration with Synergy Engineers Group of Bhopal. Despite these steps, the plan remains in limbo, especially after the 2023 floods shifted government focus to repairing the severely damaged Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway.

The delay has created a traffic management nightmare. The narrow road allows only single-lane movement in many sections, causing long queues and frequent bottlenecks. Local residents have voiced their frustration, pointing out that the road, which consistently serves as a lifeline, is routinely ignored.

Public Works Department Executive Engineer Anup Sharma said that patchwork and tarring were periodically carried out. He also pointed out that the double-laning work was underway at Aleo. However, this appears to be a piecemeal effort rather than the comprehensive overhaul originally envisioned, a resident rued.

The current state of the Kullu-Manali Left Bank Road underscores a troubling disconnect between policy announcements and ground-level execution. Until the long-delayed double-laning project is revived and implemented, residents and tourists alike will remain dependent on a fragile infrastructure — waiting for the next disaster to remind authorities of its true value.