Specific road safety provisions should be implemented for smooth flow of vehicles while construction of four laning projects being implemented in Himachal Pradesh apart from maintaining quality in construction.

This was stated by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the review meeting of implementation of four laning projects of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and National Highway Projects in HP by the Central Team of Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways.

CM said that appropriate rehabilitation plan for persons losing their business and livelihood due to acquisition of land should be ensured by providing them suitable compensation. He said that due to difficult topographical conditions and limited mode of communication, roads were the major mode of transportation.

Thakur said that Centre has sanctioned 69 NHs for HP and it was unfortunate that the previous state government did nothing to expedite the work for preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for these NHs. He said that the present state government during the last four months itself had issued Letter of Acceptance in respect of 53 NHs.

He said that it was due to the vision of the former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that the PMGSY was launched in the country. Today, almost all the panchayats of the state had road connectivity.

Out of total 3,226 panchayats in the state only about 100 panchayats were left to be connected by road and added that work for connecting these panchayats by road was in progress and they would be connected soon.

Thakur said that the work on all the on-going four lanning projects must be expedited. The state government would ensure to provide all clearances at the earliest.

He said that the best construction quality must be ensured with a major emphasis on minimum damage to the environment. He said that best network of roads in the state would give special boost to the tourism sector.

He said that wayside amenities should also be created on all the major four-lanning projects for the benefits of tourists and general commuters.

The CM said that dumping of debris from excavation of land while widening the road may also be considered for development of grounds for educational institutions and general public wherever visible in consultation of local administration.

He said that access to the existing village roads and paths should be finalised in consultation with the various stakeholders. Additional Chief Secretaries Manisha Nanda and Ram Subhag Singh, PS to Union minister for Shipping Road Transport and Highways Vaibhav Dange, Additional Director General Union minister for Shipping Road Transport and Highways BN Singh, TT Negi, Chief Engineer Ministry of Surface Transport, DC Kullu, Mandi, Kangra and other officers of the state government were present on the occasion among others.