Palampur-Hamirpur state highway cries for attention

Palampur, June 8

The Palampur-Hamirpur state highway, one of the busiest roads that links Palampur with Shimla, Chandigarh, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, Shimla and Una, needs immediate widening.

The narrow road causes inconvenience to commuters and local residents. Despite the fact that there has been a manifold increase in traffic, the width of the highway is the same as it was 30 years ago. No steps have been taken by the state government to widen the highway.

While talking to The Tribune, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said he had directed the Chief Engineer (North), Dharamsala, to prepare an estimate for the widening of this highway to reduce the distance between Palampur and Hamirpur to one hour. He would also request the Central Government to release funds under Central Roads Fund.

He said earlier, the state government submitted the necessary documents to the Central Government for declaring the road a national highway, but the matter remained pending with the Central Government.

“Keeping in view the high volume of traffic, widening of the road is immediately required,” Sukhvinder SIngh Sukhu added.