Chief Minister Harish Rawat has categorically instructed to create two separate bridge construction units, one each in Garhwal and Kumaon division. The department concerned was asked to start construction work wherever Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been approved by the State. These instructions were issued by the CM while convening a review meeting in relation to construction of roads and bridges by PWD.
The CM said that while on one end, there is delay in construction of roads and bridges due to which people are facing immense problems, on the other hand, the department’s image is also getting affected. The department’s image has also been affected by several cases of bridges breaking. Travellers are also facing problems due to delay in construction of bridges. As we know that good roads will open the route to tourism, so the CM instructed the officials to build one bridge construction unit each at Garhwal and Kumaon division.
In order to implement this work, able engineers and workers must be taken help from. Valley bridges must also be constructed. He added that construction of bridges will enable small vehicles to reach till villages. During the meeting, he also reiterated to connect interior roads to National Highways. The interior roads of Munsyari, Gagas, Bhikiyasain, Syaldeh, Deghat, Thailisen, Pabo etc must be connected to NH as they will create proximity to New Delhi. He also gave directions to officials to prepare a proposal to include the roads— lakshman Jhoola-Satpuli, Almora-Bhikiyasain-Chaukhutiya, Mohan-Ranikhet with National Highways.
It is important to maintain people’s trust on road construction and to ensure that the work on 400 roads must begin by March. The department must actively work in this direction. He assured that there will be no shortage of funds in construction of roads. In order to increase the speed of construction of small roads by RES, deliberate thought will be given to increase their limit to 3 kms from next year.
He also gave orders to the officers to build the roads of Almora Market from Red stone, to create a DPR of Bajpur Roads and also to transfer the Pokhri development unit. During the meeting Chief Secretary N Ravishankar, Additional CS Rakesh Sharma, Principal Secretary to the CM Om Prakash, Secretary PWD Amit Singh Negi and engineers from the departments concerned were also present.