Dharamsala: Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh convened a crucial meeting with departmental officers at the Public Works Department rest house in Fatehpur, District Kangra, on Thursday.
During the meeting, he issued clear instructions to the officers, emphasizing that contractors who have not completed work in the first and second phases of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) should not be entrusted with new projects in the third phase. Minister Vikramaditya Singh asserted his commitment to strict action against delays in work, underscoring a zero-tolerance approach towards compromising on quality and timeliness in development projects.
Highlighting the directives from Chief Minister Thakur Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, Vikramaditya Singh stressed the promotion of capital expenditure in the state, with a specific emphasis on the construction of roads and bridges. He urged the timely utilization of funds allocated for Central and State-sponsored schemes within the Kangra Zone.
The Minister conducted a comprehensive review of NABARD schemes, Central Road Infrastructure Fund projects, deposit works, and other ongoing initiatives. Underlining the significance of the PMGSY, he shared that approximately 2600 km of rural roads would undergo upgrades across the state, amounting to a budget of Rs 3 thousand crores.
In the Kangra zone, the first and second phases of PMGSY witnessed the construction and improvement of 1139 roads, covering a total length of about 5061 km, at a cost of Rs 1772 crore. For the third phase, the DPR of 72 roads, spanning 757 kilometers, has been prepared in the zone, with an allocated budget of Rs 863 crore. Currently, the ongoing work in the third phase encompasses the improvement of approximately 66 km of rural roads, valued at Rs 58.44 crore.
Providing further insights, Vikramaditya Singh revealed that works worth Rs 88 crore were completed under NABARD in the year 2022-23, with a provision of Rs 79 crore for the Kangra zone in 2023-24. Additionally, under the Central Road Infrastructure Fund, projects worth Rs 44 crore were executed in the district in the year 2022-23, and a budget provision of approximately Rs 22 crore is set for 2023-24.
Following the meeting, the minister conducted an inspection of roads and bridges damaged during recent monsoon disasters in the Fatehpur and Mand areas, assessing the current situation on the ground. This proactive approach demonstrates the government’s commitment to effective infrastructure management and swift response to challenges arising from natural calamities
Arvind Sharma is an award winning bi-lingual journalist with more than 20 years of experience.
He has worked with Divya Himachal, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhasker, Vir Partap, Ajit and PTI.
In 2010, he was conferred the Himachal Kesri journalism award. He reports on the Tibetan Government in Exile, politics, sports, tourism and other topics. He lives in Dharamshala.
