Shimla: Following the inspection of Chhaila-Solan road by senior officers of the Public Works department, administration has opened the Chhaila-Solan road for all types of vehicles. It’ll reduce the high traffic flow on Chhaila-Shimla highway due to ongoing apple season.

Education Minister Suresh Bhardwaj, in a meeting of senior officers of various departments and Shimla district administration, said that the senior officers of the Public Works department have inspected this road and have found it suitable for plying of heavy vehicles as well.

The administration has also decided to route empty pick-ups from Shimla to Theog via Mashobra-Bekhalti and no vehicle would be allowed to park on Dhalli-Chowk to Bhattakufar road. The apple loaded vehicles moving to Bhattakufar Mandi will be provided tokens at Chharabra and Koti by the police official and only the vehicles having tokens will be allowed to enter Bhattakur Mandi. After auction of apples, the vehicles will not be allowed to be parked in the Mandi.

Bhardwaj directed the Sub Divisional Officer Shimla (Rural) to keep close vigil on the vehicular movement in Bhattakufer Mandi and also asked the National Highways officials to immediately remove the vehicles found parked on both sides of the Hassan valley road.  He asked the officials of the National Highways to immediately remove the construction material for ensuring smooth movement of traffic near the old barrier on the National Highway. He also directed to ensure removing vehicles parked on either side on the Taradevi-Shoghi road.

Suresh Bhardwaj instructed the officials concerned to display the contact numbers of the motor mechanics of the Theog and Dhalli area on the notice boards set up by the police in the area and other control rooms so that the vehicles carrying apples could be repaired at the earliest in case of any mechanical failure.

He directed the Public Works department to immediately repair the Rahighat road and asked the Chairman of APMC to ensure that the apple trucks of the big companies like KTC company reaches directly to their go-downs in Malyana.

Deputy Commissioner Amit Kashyap and other senior officers of Horticulture, HPMC, PWD, HRTC, Police and other departments were present in the meeting.