New initiatives by HP Govt on transport plan

By: Dr. Sudarshan Kumar Vatsyayan

Shimla, January 28
The long-term transport plan formulated by the Town and Country Planning Department seeks to improve connectivity within the state by upgrading some of the existing roads and building new longitudinal roads and laying more rail lines.

The existing national highways are mostly latitudinal, running from the west to east and that leaves inner parts of the state with scanty road connectivity. The main objective of the plan is to shorten distances and ensure equitable distribution of roads with respect to population density by hierarchical rationalisation of the road network. As many as 21 roads have been proposed to be upgraded, mostly providing connectivity across the Shivaliks, outer Himalayas and central Himalayas.

The interior areas are proposed to be connected by boring tunnels across the Greater Himalayan ranges. In all five tunnels have been proposed under Sungari hill on the Aut-Gushaini-Baggipul-Nirmand – Rampur- road, under the Minikiani Pass across the Dhauladhar ranges on the McLeodganj-Kareri- Lam Dal-Darkund- Bhtog-Chamba road , under the Sach Pass on the Chamba-Koti-Tisa-Taraila-Satrundi-Brindabani- Killar road, under the Sajori Pass on the Palampur-Holi-Bharmour-Chhatrari-Bhatog road and under the Babbu Pass on the Jogindernagar-Ghatasani-Jhatingari-Barot-Sarwari -Kulu road.

The rail network is proposed to be strengthened by laying six news tracks, namely Pinjore-Baddi-Nalagarh-Ghanauli Solan-Bilaspur, Bhanupali-Bilaspur-Rampur, Jogindernagar-Mandi-Barmana,Una-Hamirpur-Bilaspur, and Hamirpur-Ranital. These will help connect some of the most populated areas and also provide links to the existing network.

The roads to be upgraded include Shimla-Jabbarhatti-Kunihar-Ramsehar-Nalagarh-Rupnagar, Bhararigaht-Kunihar-Dharampur-Sarhan-Nahan-Paonta Sahib-Yamuna Nagar, Pinjore-Nararaingarh-Kala Amb-Nahan, Pinjore-Baddi-Nalagarh-Swarghat, Shah Talai-Barasar-Dhneta-Nadaun,Ranital-Guler-Jwali-Nurpur, Una-Barsar-Bhota-Bhambla-Rewalsar-Mandi, Mehatpur- Una-Amb-Chintpurani-Nainpukhar-Dehra-Ranital, Pathankot-Banikhet-Chamba-Bharmour, Darla Mor-Beri, Ghaghas-Kandraur-Chalehli-Bhambla-Sarakaghat-Dharampur-Jogindernagar, Ghambar Khad-Ramsehar (bypass for passenger traffic), Sundernagar-Churag-Tattapani-Kufri-Chail-Kandaghat, Mandi-Karsog-Sainj, Chhaila-Neripul-Yashwantnagar-Oachghat-Kumarhatti, Ghandal-Basantpur-Kingal and Bhaderwah-Pangi-Kelylong-Kaza-Kaurick.

To provide logistic support the increasing number of vehicles plying in the state transport hubs have been proposed at Nauni near Bilaspur, Ghumarwin, Barmana, Shahtalai, Darlaghat, Bhota, Shimla, Jahu, Baddi, Hamirpur, Paonta, Nadaun, Una, Baijnath, Jasoor, Kulu, Chamba and Kotgarh.

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