With communication channels in the higher regions of Uttarakhand slowly opening up, the Ministry of Roads, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has drawn up a Rs1,200 crore blue print to refurbish the flood-ravaged road network in the State.
“For immediate restoration of roads in Uttarakhand, we have demanded approximately Rs200 crore from the Centre. We will try to fix damages and build connectivity. Makeshift arrangements will be done wherever possible but no new construction in Uttarakhand will be undertaken till the end of Monsoon,” said an official from MoRTH.
“For the time being, we have deployed adequate manpower all through the damaged stretches to clear landslides and facilitate movement. The floods have blocked almost all possible channels of commute even walking,” said the official, adding that
“We plan to start work on facilitating light vehicular traffic communication in the flood-hit stretches by September, once the rains subside.”
Minister of Road Transport and Highways Oscar Fernandes, who is visiting Himachal Pradesh with his chief engineer AK Srivastava to assess the condition of roads in flood-hit zones, is also scheduled to make a field visit to Uttarakhand to monitor the progress of road repairs.
The Ministry has also submitted a proposal to the Centre for medium-term repair of roads and highways.
“We have sought Rs1,000 crore from the Centre over and above the Rs200 crore (for immediate road restoration) for re-building the road network in Uttarakhand over a two-year period,” said
the official.
“Most roads in Uttarakhand have come in form in an unplanned manner. Some were made from walking tracks to roads and then to highways and some just came up to join the existing road network. The plan is to re-build the road network in the hills, which will keep the slopes intact - both up the hill and in the valley. We will also work on the drainage,” said the official.
The Ministry wants to the give the hill roads, the semblance of national highways, which would not just serve the purpose for the “mid-term” - but for at least five to 10 years - besides ensuring speed and time efficiency.
In the interim period, the Ministry plans to appoint think tanks to provide long-term road building solutions, keeping in mind the geological and hydrological requirements of the hill region.