Shimla: The Parwanoo – Shimla four lane highway project along with five other highways spread across Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh were approved by the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) that was presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Delhi, yesterday.
The CCEA approved the Rs 1247 crore Parwanoo – Shimla 39 Km four lane project on the National Highway – 22, a government release by Press Bureau of India stated.
However, as specifics were not mentioned in the report, the project cleared in all probability is the Parawanoo – Solan highway stretch where the land acquisition and layout designs reportedly stand completed.
The other projects cleared include the four laning of Ghaghra Bridge – Varanasi stretch in Uttar Pradesh for a consideration of Rs 2295 crores, the Rewa – Katni – Jabalpur stretch in Madhya Pradesh for Rs 3101 crore, the Jabalpur – Lakhnadon stretch in Madhya Pradesh for Rs 1244 crore, the Baharagora – Singhara project in Odisha for Rs 1283 crore and the Ghoshpukur – Salasbari stretch in West Bengal for a total consideration of Rs 3476 crore.
All these project are to be developed through engineering, procurement and construction mode under the National Highways Development Project.
The official statement mentions, “The expenditure to be incurred on these projects is to be borne by the Government of India in public interest.
All these projects will convert the existing two-laning highway projects into high quality four-laning highway projects thereby catalyzing the economic development of the regions along the corridors of these highways.”
Work on the Kiratpur – Ner Chowk, the other 4 lane highway project connecting parts of Himachal, is under execution.
The Rs 2356.20 crore project covers 84.380 kms, starting from the district of Rupnagar in Punjab, passes through the district of Bilaspur on a section of National Highway 21 and was cleared by the union cabinet committee on infrastructure in January 2012.
The project that forms part of the Kullu – Manali highway was approved on a build operate transfer (BOT) toll mode of delivery. Of the total project amount Rs 537.37 crore was spent on land acquisition, rehabilitation, resettlement and pre-construction.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
Do anyone have idea four-laning highway project will degrade environment to which extent? Road is already very good it only requires little maintenance. The thinking of today’s generation is to preserve environment rather than degrade it to full extent. The budget passed for four laning project should be used for making valley more green rather then degrading it.
Well Gaurav, you should stop using and upgrading your car, stop upgrading to new technology gadget, etc… As all of them somewhere harms environment.This is road widening is necessary as I am most of the time is stuck in jam of so called NH, qon contrary find better ways to contribute to environment.
Good Saying Pankaj as Gaurav do not know about development. He is good for nothing.