Hotel associations of Manali, Kulu and Mandi have urged Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to improve the deteriorating condition of the 40-km long Kiratpur-Bilaspur portion of the NH-21.
This road connects world famous hill resort of Manali but the roads have been badly fractured by big potholes deterring the tourist coming to the panoramic valleys of Kulu, lahul, Spiti and ladakh.
Hotel associations have lamented that due to the indifferent attitude of the PWD wing of the National Highway, the tourism industry of the State is suffering from huge losses. The visitors were carrying bitter and nightmarish memories making mockery of the slogan of Himachal tourism “Incredible Himachal”.
The representative of the hotel industry complain that the Chief Minister and other VIPs mostly travel by helicopter and they seethe deplorable and dismal condition of the roads is seldom noticed by them. The alleged widespread corruption makes the matters worse. About six months ago the condition of road had been slightly improved on the intervention of Virbhadra Sing when the bad condition of the road was brought to his notice. But soon the PWD officials went to slumber when the summer tourists season is at the door-step of the hill state.
The lethargic attitude of the state government is indirectly benefitting the neighbouring state of Jammu & Kashmir. Ironically entire budget for the national highways for construction, maintenance and repairs is born by the NHAI, but implemented by the PWD departments of the respective States. The Punjab portion of the NH-21 beyond Kiratpur is in most vulnerable condition. Despite the fact that all the expenditure incurred on national highways is born by the NHAI, the state government has miserably failed to keep the roads well in order.