Bilaspur (Himachal Pradesh) [India], July 5 (ANI): Union Minister of Health and Family welfare, and Bharatiya Janata Party president Jagat Prakash Nadda chaired a high level meeting here today to review the status and progress of Government of India's initiatives to transform road connectivity in Himachal Pradesh through accelerated development of National Highways and tunnel infrastructure.

Sources said that Union Minister Nadda presided over a detailed presentation by senior officials of MoRTH, during which the status, challenges, and future plans for the development of road infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh were discussed comprehensively.

Himachal Pradesh currently has a total of 25 National Highways with a combined length of 2,592 km entrusted for development and maintenance. Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, MoRTH is implementing critical highway projects across the state, sources said.

According to sources, at present, projects of total length of 627 km are under construction, amounting to Rs 25,600 crore. Apart from this, projects of 416 km length are in pipeline, with an estimated expenditure Rs 25,265 crore. In addition to this, tunnels form an important component of infrastructure under MoRTH. While 19 tunnels costing Rs. 3,200 crore are under construction, 28 tunnels costing Rs 5,400 crore are in the pipeline.

While acknowledging the support and cooperation from the Himachal Pradesh Government in land acquisition and forest clearances, it was pointed out that several critical issues require further collaboration to ensure the timely and effective development of road infrastructure in the state. Underscoring the critical importance of highways and tunnels for the growth, development and progress of the hilly state of Himachal Pradesh, with Nadda urging the state government to resolve these pending issues.

Sources also mentioned certain important projects, including dredging in the Beas River (Mandi-Manali Stretch of NH-3).

'The unprecedented floods of July 2023 severely damaged the Mandi-Manali highway at multiple locations. Despite repeated requests from the Centre, effective dredging of the Beas riverbed has yet to be undertaken. Removal of boulders from the riverbed and enhancing the river's water-carrying capacity are crucial for the long-term safety of the highway and riverside communities,' the source mentioned. While DPR preparation and tendering for permanent highway restoration are in progress, Nadda urged the state government to expedite the dredging work between Mandi and Manali to prevent further damage.

The matter of Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board's recent clarification on April 23, 2024, which categorised highway widening projects under the 'Orange' industrial category was also raised in the meeting.

'This has raised concerns as it could adversely affect ongoing NHAI projects through financial and contractual complications. Nadda, has requested the state government to review this clarification and exempt highway projects, especially those initiated before 23 April 2024, to avoid unnecessary delays,' the source said.

Apart from this, expediting stage-I forest clearance for Sumdo-Kaza Road (NH-505, Package-IV) also needs attention. This project was approved on 15.03.2024 at a cost of Rs 518.90 crore. However, the work could not be initiated due to delays in obtaining Stage-I Forest clearance. Nadda stated that he has discussed this matter with Chief, who has assured that the issue will be resolved at the earliest. He again urged the state govt to expedite the forest clearance.

Sources said that several high ranking and senior officers from Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), along with Bilaspur MLA Trilok Jamwal, Sri Naina Devi ji MLA Randhir Sharma, were also present at the meeting. (ANI)