Project to cut journey time to Kullu-Manali, Leh, bring prosperi…

The Cabinet Committee
on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has
approved the four laning of Pandoh Bypass to Takoli’ section of National
Highway (NH)-21 in Himachal Pradesh. This is a sub project  of the National
Highways Authority of India’s larger project for four laning of NH-21 from
Kiratpur in Punjab to Manali in Himachal Pradesh. The other four sub– projects
of this project  include Kiratpur-Nerchowk, Nerchowk-Pandoh, Takoli-Kullu and
Kullu-Manali. Work on three of the sub-projects is already going on, and is
likely to start shortly for the fourth sub project.  Completion of  all five
sub projects will provide all weather connectivity to important tourist
destinations like  Kullu and  Manali and further upto Leh.

 The cost of the Pandoh-Takoli sub
project approved today is  estimated to be Rs.2775.93 crore including cost of
land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction
activities. The total length of the road to be developed is approximately 19
kms.

This
work will be done under National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase IV B
on Hybrid Annuity Mode.

The
four laning of NH 21 from Kiratpur to Manali  will provide all weather
connectivity to important tourist destinations i.e. Kullu & Manali and
further upto Leh. This will help in reduction in accidents and saving of
precious human lives due to construction of tunnels in the accident prone land
slide areas. The distance from Kiratpur to Manali will get reduced by 38 km,
resulting in a time saving  of approximately three hours. This will result in
huge saving in terms of fuel consumption and wear and tear cost of vehicles.The
project will generate huge employment to the locals residing along the project
length which will also help them in getting in job opportunities in future. It has been
estimated that a total number of 4,076 mandays are required for construction of
one kilometre of highway. As such, employment potential of 77,000 (approx.)
mandays will be generated locally during the construction period of the
Pandoh-Takoli section alone. The completion of the project will bring all round
development and prosperity in the state of Himachal Pradesh.

NHAI is also executing
the four laning of NH-22 from Parwanoo to Shimla (including Shimla Bypass). The
length of this project is 89.71 km and the cost is Rs. 2739 cr. The work has
already been started in the stretch from Parwanoo to Solan. The project
construction from Solan to Shimla is likely to commence shortly.

The DPR preparations
for four laning of following projects have also been undertaken by the NHAI:

The construction of
above projects will help uplift the socio-economic condition of this region of
the state of Himachal Pradesh. It will further enhance the employment potential
for the local labourers for the project activities in highways and tunnel constructions.

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UM/NP/MS