The construction of the Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane project is set to be completed by June 30, marking a significant milestone in the region’s infrastructure development. As part of the preparations for the project’s completion, efforts have begun to divert bus routes from districts connected to the four-lane highway. The Regional Manager (RM) of Bilaspur has submitted a proposal to the Managing Director, suggesting the diversion of 15 bus routes to the four-lane highway. However, the finalization of these routes is still pending.
Numerous bus routes currently operating on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway will be redirected to the four-lane highway. Starting from June 30, the four-lane expansion will be fully operational from Bilaspur to Nerchowk. Once completed, the distance between Kiratpur and Nerchowk will be reduced by 36 kilometers, with the new route spanning only 77 kilometers.
To facilitate the diversion of bus routes, the Transport Corporation has initiated the process of redirecting 15 routes currently running on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway, specifically in the Bilaspur to Chandigarh section, towards the four-lane highway. Additionally, several routes from Hamirpur, Mandi, and Kullu depots will also be diverted to the four-lane highway. However, the specific routes for each district have not been determined yet, as the completion date for the four-lane construction has been extended.
The proposal to divert 15 routes from Bilaspur to the four-lane highway has been forwarded to the Managing Director of the Transport Corporation. This includes the Marotan-Delhi bus route. Sandeep Kumar, the Managing Director, stated that the decision regarding the routes to be diverted from each district is still under consideration, and the corporation is actively working on finalizing the details. The selection of routes to be redirected will be determined in the near future.
