Shimla | Himachal Pradesh has received a sanction of Rs 3,345.81 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III for the construction of 3,123 kilometers of rural roads and 43 bridges. Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh informed that this marks a significant step in strengthening rural connectivity across the state.
The PWD has already completed 517.33 kilometers of road length under the scheme, with an expenditure of Rs 802.59 crore. The minister said this progress reflects the department’s commitment to timely execution and improvement of infrastructure in rural areas.
He highlighted that Himachal’s expenditure under PMGSY during the financial year 2024-25 stood at Rs 905 crore, well above the sanctioned amount of Rs 650 crore. Given this performance, the state government has formally requested the Centre to double the allocation to Rs 1,300 crore for the next financial year.
The minister also shared that the state is actively working on PMGSY-IV. Mapping of 1,560 habitations has been completed, out of which 1,115 have been found eligible by the Ministry of Rural Development. Approvals have already been received for 862 habitations, including 102 under Stage-I.
Following discussions with the Union Minister for Rural Development on April 30, a high-level team from the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA) visited Shimla on May 2 and 3. The team reviewed the pending cases and assured reconsideration of 247 habitations that were previously rejected, subject to verification.
Out of these, land is already available in 151 habitations, and the state has urged for their early approval. Once sanctioned, the state plans to prepare approximately 250 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) covering around 1,400 kilometers under PMGSY-IV.
The PWD Minister said that the entire process is being undertaken in a fast-track mode to boost rural connectivity and ensure balanced regional development in Himachal Pradesh.
