NHAI invites bids for survey on bypass in Una

BLURB: Tenders to open on Dec 26, proposes elevated road to check traffic congestion

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Rajesh Sharma

Una, December 20

In view of the traffic congestion in Una city, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has invited online bids from private consultancy firms to conduct a survey regarding the possibility of road bypasses on the outskirts of the city or an elevated road within the city, connecting the highways.

Una city is a junction to major roads which include Dharamsala to Delhi via Chandigarh-Ambala and Amritsar to Bhota National Highways besides the state highway to Hamirpur. In the absence of any road bypass, all inter and intra-state traffic has to pass through the city, leading to road congestion and mishaps.

During peak tourist season, inter-state tourists traveling to Dharamsala, Kullu and Manali take the Una route, while devotees travelling to major tourist destinations at Jwalamukhi, Chintpurni, Dera Baba Badbhag Singh and Baba Balak Nath shrines also pass through Una city.

In addition, after the Indian Oil Corporation depot was commissioned last year in Pekhubela village near Una city, about 300 oil tankers pass through Una city every day. With the satellite centre of PGIMER, Chandigarh, coming up near Una city, traffic is bound to increase considerably in the coming years.

A few years ago, the proposal for construction of an elevated road within the city to allow long distance traffic to avoid the city was mooted. The proposal was to lay the elevated road from near the railway overbridge in Bhadolian Khurd village to Hoshiarpur road near Lalsingi village. However, a section of the local traders objected to the proposal, citing that this would mar their business prospects.

The NHAI has decided to award the consultancy work for feasibility of road bypasses and elevated roads to a private firm, said Pramod Kashyap, Executive Engineer of the NHAI, Hamirpur division, adding that the tenders would be opened on December 26. He said as per the report, the company would also make a Detailed Project Report, which would be sent for approval to the higher authorities.