ADB to provide Rs 475 cr to HP Govt for urban areas uplift

The urban areas of Himachal Pradesh will soon get a face lift as the Asian Development Bank is releasing a sum of Rs 475 crore for this purpose.
While informing this here today, the state minister for Urban Development Sudhir Sharma said, "One will soon see a definite facelift in the urban sector of the state, especially in the areas of street lighting, drinking water, roads and parking facilities.
"ADB is shortly releasing Rs 475 crore for the development of urban areas of the state," he said.
Sharma said that Himachal Pradesh is the primary attraction area for tourists, specially a large number of the foreigners visit Dharamsala and its surroundings.

For the purpose, the state government will soon launch regular flights from Delhi to Dharamsala after the aviation regulator DGCA gives the clearance for it.
"The Gaggal Airport of Dharamsala shall have regular flights to Delhi and Chandigarh by Spice jet.

"The company successfully landed the bigger plane in the airport recently, and as and when DGCA gives the clearance, a regular flight shall start, say in a fortnight," he said.
The flights were suspended last year due to cancellation of the license of solo operator, the Kingfisher.
Besides this, a ropeway between Dharamshala-Mecleoganj section to ease the traffic congestion bwteen these two areas would also likely to come up.

"This project shall be taken back from Tourism department and be handed over to Himachal Pradesh Infrastructure Development Board to give it a required speed," he said.