Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, January 27
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi on Tuesday to seek enhanced financial support for strengthening road infrastructure in the hill state. During the meeting, Sukhu pressed for adequate funding for the repair and maintenance of roads and bridges, citing damage caused by challenging terrain and recent monsoons. In response, Gadkari approved ₹200 crore in principle under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund for the Chaila–Neripul–Yashwant Nagar–Ochghat road, a project expected to significantly benefit apple growers in the region.
The Chief Minister also briefed the Union Minister on the progress of the Shimla–Mataur National Highway, which connects eight districts with the state capital and provides links to neighbouring states. He urged the ministry to include the maximum possible number of tunnels between Shimla and Shalaghat, and from Bhager to Hamirpur, citing geological sensitivity and the mountainous landscape.
Sukhu further sought faster preparation of the detailed project report for the four-laning of a section covering the end of the Hamirpur bypass at Chilbahal to Bhangbar, along with a proposed northern Hamirpur bypass.
Raising concerns over the Chilbahal–Pucca Baroh stretch, the Chief Minister said the section had suffered extensive damage during monsoons and had not been strengthened for several years, despite serving as a key access route to major religious sites. He requested that the stretch be handed over to the National Highway wing of the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department for development and maintenance, and sought early approval of ₹38.37 crore from the National Highways Authority of India.
The Union Minister agreed to the proposal and assured full support to the state government. The Chief Minister’s Principal Advisor, Ram Subhag Singh, was also present at the meeting.
