Himachal CM seeks timely execution of national highways

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Friday sought early execution of four-laning of the Parwanoo-Shimla and Ner Chowk-Manali highways being constructed by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in the state.

Raising the issue with Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, he also demanded four-laning of the Shimla-Mataur (Kangra) National Highway-88 as it passes through five districts.

Official sources said expansion work for these highways has already been approved by the central government.

The chief minister also raised the issue of Ambala-Shimla-Kinnaur National Highway-22, which has been blocked for the past three months at Tapri in Kinnaur district owing to landslides.

He also sought adequate funding for revival and relaying the Hindustan-Tibet road, an alternate to National Highway-22 that was first laid by the Britishers to connect with Tibet for trade through Shipki-La border post along India-China border.

"The reconstruction of the Hindustan-Tibet road will be a better alternative to the India-China border area," the chief minister told Gadkari.