Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government is set to accelerate road repair and tarring works across the state once the monsoon season subsides, with around 800 kilometres of roads scheduled to be tarred at an estimated cost of ₹120 crore.
Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said it during Question Hour on Monday, the third day of the ongoing monsoon session of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly. He said road construction and upgradation works covering nearly 1,500 kilometres are currently underway across the state at different stages.
Responding to a question raised by BJP MLA Hansraj, the minister said the Public Works Department is making continuous efforts to strengthen the state’s road network and improve the quality of existing roads. He added that a comprehensive plan has been prepared to ensure that road projects are executed efficiently and completed within the prescribed timelines.
The ongoing monsoon has slowed down road construction and repair activities at several locations. According to Vikramaditya Singh, projects affected by the rains will be taken up on priority once weather conditions improve.
The proposed tarring of 800 km of roads is expected to provide a significant boost to road maintenance across the state. The work will be undertaken after the rains subside and conditions become suitable for road surfacing.
The minister also said that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has assured support to address the financial gap related to the procurement of bitumen required for tarring works. The support is expected to help the department speed up pending projects and prevent further delays.
Vikramaditya Singh also urged elected representatives to cooperate in resolving land-related issues that are holding up road projects.
He appealed to MLA Hansraj and other public representatives to facilitate the execution of gift deeds in favour of the Public Works Department wherever land formalities are pending. Completion of such formalities, he said, would help remove bottlenecks and enable road projects to be implemented smoothly.
