india

Updated: Apr 23, 2020 17:36 IST

The World Bank has approved $82 million (₹585 crore) for State Roads Transformation Project (HPSRTP) for Himachal Pradesh, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Thursday.

While presiding over a review meeting of the public works department here, Thakur said the project envisages upgradation of major roads as well as modernisation of the department.

He said works of 45km Barotiwala-Baddi-Sain-Ramshehar; 14.5km Dadol-Ladraurr road; 28km Mandi- Riwalsar-Kalkhar; and 3.5km Raghunathpura-Mandi- Harpura-Bharari will be undertaken with first tranche of project funds.

Works related to construction and maintenance of road projects in the state have been adversely affected due to the lockdown in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, he said, stressing on efforts to fix renewed targets taking a realistic view of the situation.

The CM also emphasised on optimal utilisation of locally available labour so that work on ongoing projects could be expedited.

“The state government has decided to allow inter-district movement of trucks carrying construction material from mining sites to project areas,” Thakur said, adding that the government will soon consider opening of hardware shops so that works do not hamper for want of construction material.

He said the government will also consider inter-district movement of road construction machinery to the sites.

The government will also contemplate to allow movement of concerned field staff as jurisdiction of national highway division was in more than one district, he said, adding that special thrust should be made on maintenance and repair of roads.

“Roads reflect the developmental picture of any State thus special emphasis should be laid on their periodic repair and local labour can be deployed for such activities,” he said.

During the meeting, it came to fore that a target of construction of 900km road length was fixed for the year 2019-20 but only 800-km was achieved as works were halted due to Covid-19 outbreak and subsequent lockdown. Also, construction of 4,960-km roads has been fixed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) for the year 2020-21 for which financial allocation of ₹1,666 crore had been made.