Shimla: Himachal government has demanded funds from Union government for upgradation of Sainj-Aut National Highway (NH)-305.
State CM written a letter to Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, and also demanded construction of tunnel across Jalori Pass with the World Bank funding as a Green National Highway Corridor.
Jai Ram Thakur apprised Union Minister that NH-305 stretch is a single lane carriageway and is accident prone. He said that the Jalori Pass remains snow bound for about 5 months during the year and cross movement of people from Rampur/ Kinnaur to Kullu/ Manali is adversely hampered during this period. He said that in such situation, a tunnel of about 4.20 kms length is essentially required across Jalori Pass.
Jai Ram Thakur said that almost entire load in the state of passenger and goods transportation is currently being met through roads as other modes of transportation such as railways and air have negligible contribution.
The NHs carry most of the traffic as these are main corridors and under such circumstances, it is imperative that NHs are duly upgraded to meet the increasing volume of traffic.
Chief Minister thanked the Union Minister for sanctioning two National Highway projects Hamirpur-Mandi (NH-70) and Ponta Sahib-Guma-Feduz (NH-707) with World Bank assistance. He said that these 214 km long Highways would be developed as Green National Highway Corridors in Himachal Pradesh with improved geometry and upgradation of the complete length from single carriageway to double carriageway.
