Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday said that the State Government would take up the matter for enhancing the budget for maintenance of border roads in the state with the Union Ministry of Road and Surface Transport.
“This issue would be taken up so that adequate funds could be made available for improvement of these roads of strategic importance,” the Chief Minister said while presiding over the meeting with senior officers of Border Road Organization (BRO) here.
He said that presently, there are five national highways in the state with total length of 570 kilometres and one ‘in principle’ national highway (Tandi to Sansari Nallah of 172 kms. length) with the BRO. These highways pass through strategic importance and tribal areas of the state and are linked with various state roads maintained by the State Public Works Department, the Chief Minister said.
Thakur said that usually the condition of these roads deteriorates during the months of winter and requires constant repairs and maintenance so as to facilitate the tourists and general commuters for which adequate funds were required.
He said that similarly, bridges on these roads also need immediate repair and improvement.
The Chief Minister urged the BRO officials to ensure completion of Rohtang tunnel by November this year to ensure round the year connectivity in landlocked Lahaul valley.
During the meeting, Agriculture and Tribal Development Minister Ram Lal Markanda while expressing concern over the condition of roads maintained by the BRO urged the authorities to ensure their time-bound maintenance so that people of the tribal areas of the state do not face any inconvenience due to poor road conditions.
Director General, Border Roads Lt. General Harpal Singh, AVSM, VSM assured the Chief Minister that the organization would ensure time bound completion of Rohtang tunnel besides other improvement works.
He said that Samdho-Kaza-Gramphu road would be improved on priority keeping in view its strategic importance.