Union Minister for Road, Transport and Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari on Sunday laid foundation stones of three road projects worth Rs2655 crore in Himachal.
He laid foundation stones of four-laning works of Parwanoo-Solan block on National Highway 22 (now National Highway No-5), Solan-Kaithalighat block and Shimla bypass.
The Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh was present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Nitin Gadkari said that Himachal Pradesh was favourite destination of tourists and added that good roads would promote tourism industry and the state would be benefited by the same.
He said that the Union Government had taken a decision that road construction work would be started only after acquiring 80 percent land. He thanked the State Government for taking up land acquisition work and forest clearances speedily.
He said that the State had 2,630 kms long national highways and added that road projects worth Rs50,000 crore would be started during next two years in Himachal.
The Union Minister said that no compromise would be made on the quality of construction works and added that works would also be allotted to small contractors in the State on the request of State Government. He urged the CM for setting up of pre-cast iron industry in Himachal.
The Union Minister announced 114 kms long Sanaura-Rajgarh-Nohradhar-Haripurdhar-Ronhat-Jamli road, 58 kms Sataun-Renuka-Dadahu-Jamta-Dosadka road, 50 kms long Hairpurdhar-Sangrah-Renuka road, 57 kms Kandaghat-Sadhupul-Chail-Kufri road, 77 kms long Haripurdhar-Kupvi-Tarahan-Saharan-Chopal road, 110 kms long Sainj, Deha-Chopal-Nerwa-Phedach Pul road, 20 kms long Solan-Sabathu road, 57 kms long Kafota-Jakhana-Joung-Tunia-Haripur road, 96 kms long Rohru-Chirgoan-larot-Dodra-Kwar road, 35 kms long Nalagarh-Dabhota-Baruna-Bagheri-Mora road, 80 kms long Sanaura-Yashwantnagar-Gauda-Dublu-Janedghat-Chalanda-Junga-Mehli road and 60 kms long Hatkoti-Mandol-Tahu-Tharola-Kotkhai road as National Highways.
On the occasion, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said that roads were major mode of connectivity in hill States like Himachal Pradesh and the first Chief Minister of the State YS Parmar considered them as lifelines as they played important role in strengthening the economy.
He said that at present, there were 35,000 kms. motorable roads in the state and 3,120 panchayats had road connectivity whereas left out panchayats were being connected soon.
Virbhadra said that application of modern technology was needed for construction of roads in hills as they were accident prone and no compromise should be made in quality as well as technique.
He said that State Government was spending Rs 3054 crore this year through Public Works Department. Good roads would not only boost industrialization but also strengthen the economy of orchardists of the State, he added.
The Chief Minister said that 1,933 out of 2,354 sanctioned road works had been completed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna during last three years and added that 3318 habitations out of 3689 had been connected.
He added that eight out of 10 projects sanctioned under World Bank Road Project had been completed. He also thanked the Union Minister for laying the foundation stones of the important road projects in the State.