Sumdoh-Gramfu highway in need of urgent repairs

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, October 27

A few stretches of the Sumdoh-Kaza-Gramfu highway are in a poor condition in Lahaul and Spiti district and require urgent repairs. The 205-km road that connects the Manali-Leh highway with the Hindustan-Tibet highway has strategic importance as the country shares border with China in the Spiti valley.

Residents of the Spiti valley told The Tribune that the 20-km Gramfu to Bathal stretch of the highway was in a bad condition at few places such as Chhattru and Chhota Dara, and required repairs.

This highway is under the control of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), which is planning to widen it, as per the direction of the Central Government, for defence purposes.

Kesang Raapchik, president of the Taxi Operators Union Kaza, said, “The BRO has maintained the road well from Kaza up to Sumdho towards the Kannaur side and similarly from Kaza towards Gramfu up to Losar. But from Batal up to Gramfu, a stretch of around 20 km is in a bad condition at few places”.

Sonam Targey, a resident of the Spiti valley, said, “Due to the strategic importance of this highway, residents of the valley are urging the state and Central governments to widen it to boost tourism in the region”.

Ravi Thakur, former Congress MLA of Lahaul and Spiti, said, “The widening of the highway is a long pending demand of the people of the Spiti valley. A proposal in this regard is under implementation and we urge the state and Central governments to accomplish the task in time”.

Brigadier MS Baghi, Chief Engineer (Project Deepak), BRO, said that the maintenance of the highway was under progress. The administrative approval for the road project was pending with the Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways. As soon as the process is completed, the BRO would start the next course of action to widen the highway, he added.