Solan residents demand tunnel to reduce travel time to Shimla

To address the persistent traffic congestion in Solan town, a former chairman of the Solan Municipal Council (MC) has proposed the construction of a tunnel from Zero Point on the Oachghat-Solan Highway to Jaunajee, located in the town’s precincts.

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In a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, Kul Rakesh Pant, former chairman of the Solan MC, has requested the government to consider this project. He suggested that the proposed tunnel would connect the Shamti bypass at Zero Point near Oachghat to Jaunajee.

Both Oachghat and Jaunajee lie on the outskirts of Solan. Oachghat serves as a gateway to Sirmaur district and popular destinations such as Rajgarh, while Jaunajee connects the town to rural areas. Pant emphasised that the tunnel would not only decongest traffic-ridden Solan but also significantly reduce travel time to Shimla and other parts of the district.

Pant further proposed that the tunnel could be linked to the Pinjore-Shimla Expressway between the Salogra-Kandaghat stretch, utilising an existing road connecting Shamti near Barog railway station to the expressway. He stated, “This connection could benefit motorists traveling on the Sirmaur-Dehradun route while easing congestion and reducing travel time for vehicles heading uphill.”

Pant pointed out that two tunnels have already been constructed on the Pinjore-Shimla Expressway, one near Shamlech and another under construction at Kandaghat, which have significantly reduced travel time and ensured all-weather connectivity. The one-way Shamlech tunnel measures 921 m, while the two-way tunnel at Kandaghat measures 667 m.

He highlighted that since tunneling requires no tree-felling, the project would have minimal environmental impact while providing substantial benefits to commuters.

Given these advantages, Solan residents are now urging the government to prioritise the construction of this tunnel, which could improve connectivity, reduce travel time, and alleviate the growing traffic issues in the town and its surrounding areas.