Centre rejects NH-20 four-laning proposal
The state government’s proposal of four-laning of the 220-km National Highway No. 20 (Pathankot-Mandi) has been once again rejected by the Ministry of Surface and Transport.
The National Highways Authority of India had not included this important road project in its plan outlay for 2014-15, in the absence of political will as per the official sources.
In its plan outlay for the next year, as per state government’s hope the Centre will clear this project. Two national highway projects had got cleared last year by the state government, relating to the Shimla-Kalka and Chandigarh-Nair Chowk national highways, for their alteration into four-laned highways. The government was unsuccessful to get the go-ahead for any new major road project for the state, this year.
For 30 lakh residents of the northern region of Himachal Pradesh, the Pathankot-Mandi highway is considered a lifeline. The road links Pathankot with Leh via Manali.
In1987, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi declared this road as national highway keeping in mind defence requirements. The state Public Works Department (PWD) has been unsuccessful to make even 50 per cent portion of the road double-laned, even after 27 years.
Since the PWD abandoned widening work midway, the national highway is still narrow and prone to accidents at many points. Over 50 bridges which were constructed by the British years ago on the highway are on the edge of disintegration.
No serious action is being taken neither by the HP Government nor the Ministry of Surface Transport on the prevailing situation.
Source : The Tribune
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