PWD plans bypass to decongest Nahan

Ambika Sharma

Solan, January 21

In a bid to decongest Nahan, the Public Works Department (PWD) has initiated a survey to construct a bypass. “It is proposed to be carved out from near the turpentine factory on the Nahan-Shimla National Highway-907A at Banog to Dhyar Kyari and extend further to Jabal Bagh till the sabzi mandi at Kanshiwala touching the NH-07 on the Nahan-Kala Amb highway,” said Nahan PWD Superintending Engineer Arvind Sharma.

A long-pending demand

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• Construction of a bypass has been an outstanding demand of Nahan residents as the NH-907A comprises several black spots
• As heavy goods-laden trucks also use this highway, the presence of such black spots was a risky proposition
• The bypass, which would be about 9-km long, would address the issue of decongesting the highway while ridding the town of undue traffic

The alignment of the highway was being worked out and would be completed soon. Besides this, a survey to identify the number of buildings and other structures, which would fall on the way, was being prepared.

“An agency will be hired to prepare its detailed project report after completing the ground work. Once an estimate is prepared, its funding will be arranged. The bypass will also connect the Nahan-Shimla highway to Nahan-Kala Amb highway,” added Sharma.

The construction of a bypass has been a long pending demand of Nahan residents as the NH 907A comprises several black spots where presence of a congested road and steep ascent has led to several fatal accidents. The fact that heavy goods-laden trucks also use this highway, presence of such black spots was a risky proposition. The bypass, which would be about 9-km long, would address the issue of decongesting the highway while ridding the town of undue traffic.

With Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu announcing this highway along with a budget of Rs 9 crore during his recent visit to the town, the residents were hopeful that this project would be a reality in the coming months.

A move was initiated to construct the Banog-Dhyar Kyari road, which is part of this bypass, in August 2022 but being the election year, no headway could be made. The road project was brought under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in 2012 but it could not take off as it was defence land, on which no construction could be undertaken.

Exhaustive efforts were made by the former Nahan BJP MLA Dr Rajiv Bindal to find a solution and it was in August 2022 that the defence authorities finally granted working permission to construct this stretch of the road.

Residents of 12 villagers will benefit from this road that will provide direct connectivity to the Nahan-Shimla national highway. Currently, they have to take a long detour through villages to reach the highway. The road will culminate at the New Sabzi Mandi and will also provide an arterial route to villagers to reach Nahan.