Following large scale devastation by floods in Jammu & Kashmir, unprecedented flow of tourists is rushing to Himachal Pradesh where the Government seems to be least bothered with the deplorable state of National Highways and State roads.
NH-21 connects Chandigarh with Manali. Over 80 per cent tourists from all parts of the country visit Manali. The globally known International Dussehra Festival is celebrated in Kulu with great religious fervor and fanfare. But bad condition of the roads, including the eight National Highways passing through the hill State and covering a distance of 1235 kms is deplorable.
The NH-21 links the globally known tourist resort Manali which is in a very bad shape. It is fractured by back-breaking big potholes. Obviously tourists carry home bad memories.
When intimated about the vulnerable condition of the roads, Chief Minister, Virbhadra Singh, had taken a serious note and personally contacted top officials of National Highway Authority of India at New Delhi which quickly responded to his request and the worst portion of road between Kiratpur and Swarghat had been repaired and renovated in a record time of 12 days. However, another spell of heavy rains has again created potholes and no efforts have been made so far to repair them.
locals say the paramount need of the hour is the immediate repair of the road between Kiratpur and Manali and Pathankot and Manali which should be launched on a war-footing and completed at least a week before the International Dussehra Festival of Kulu.
“There will not no financial burden on the state government. All that is required is dash and dynamism on the part of officials and PWD engineers. The casual and lethargic attitude of bureaucrats and engineer is said to be main cause of the worsening state of roads in Himachal Pradesh,” a tour operator said.
Meanwhile in the wake of mounting criticism, the NHAI has given a contract of repair and renovation of the NH 21 to the company currently executing the 4-lane work which had done the repair and tarring work of Kiratpur –Bilaspur portion in a record time.
A spokesperson of the company, Sanjive Kumar, claimed before the media persons that Rs 6 crore repairing work of the road had been assigned to two contractors with a stipulation of completing the work within the given time. He said the work was likely to be completed within a fortnight and the tourists would no more suffer jerks and agonies of driving on the NH 21.