Rohit Thakur lays foundation for Rs 7-cr road project in Tikkar

Education Minister Rohit Thakur today laid the foundation stone for the construction and repair of the 5.34 km Kadiwan-Umladwar-Galhun road in Tikkar sub-tehsil of Shimla district. The project, estimated at Rs 7.07 crore, is being developed under NABARD on MLA priority.

Thakur said road construction and repair projects worth Rs 100 crore are presently underway in the Nawar region. He highlighted that during nearly three years of the present Congress-led government, the area has witnessed significant development, particularly in road connectivity. “As many as 147 new roads have been approved, and our target is to reach 150 by the end of this year,” he said, adding that the government aims to ensure every village is connected and progressing on the path of development.

The minister said under Phase-IV of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Rs 110 crore has been sanctioned for the Jubbal-Nawar-Kotkhai area, of which Rs 51 crore has been earmarked for six road projects in Tikkar.

Highlighting the horticulture sector’s progress, Thakur mentioned that several new roads have been metalled and constructed to support farmers. He also noted the completion of an apple grading and packing house at Tutupani, built at a cost of Rs 6.72 crore through HPMC under the World Bank-funded Horticulture Development Project, worth Rs 1,135 crore.

Thakur added that under the 2025 Market Intervention Scheme, the state procured 99,000 metric tonnes of apples, more than double last year’s figure, ensuring timely marketing despite monsoon-related disruptions.