Shimla: Travelling to Kullu-Manali, the famous hill station, will be a treat for the tourists in the next two years.
Union minister for road, transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari, who was at Kullu to launch major National Highways and green corridor projects, announced that travel time between Delhi and Kullu in Himachal Pradesh will be cut down to seven hours.
"I promise you from here that within the next two years, you will be able to complete the Delhi to Kullu road journey in seven hours against the current nine hours only between Chandigarh to Kullu," he said.
Gadkari laid foundation stones of road projects worth Rs 6155 crore for Himachal Pradesh. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur was also present.
The Union Minister dedicated a four lane Parwanoo-Solan section of NH-22 (new NH-05) having length of 39.14 kilometers constructed at a cost of Rs 1303 crore.
He laid foundation stones of four lane of Kangra Bypass to Bhangbar section of NH-88 having length of 18.13 kms to be constructed at a cost of Rs 1323 crore, four lane of Kiratpur to Nerchowk Greenfield alignment section NH-21 having length of 47.75 kms spending Rs 2098 crore and half a dozen other four lane/two lane Green National Highway Corridor Projects.
Gadkari said Himachal Pradesh was indeed the most beautiful state of the country. He said that roads were the prerequisite of overall development of any nation.
"Roads are also important for the tourism promotion and Himachal, being a tourist state, better roads in the state, will go a long way in tourism promotion," he said.
The minister said road projects worth Rs 15000 crore would be awarded to Himachal Pradesh this year. DPR for construction of a 40 kilometers left bank road project at Manali would be prepared at the earliest. The government would provide all possible assistance to the state Government for construction of alternative modes of transportation such as cable cars etc. and for strengthening the road networks in the state.
Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur thanked the Union Minister for dedicating and laying foundation stones of road projects worth Rs 6155 crore for the state. He urged the minister for construction of Bhuboo Jot tunnel and for double laning of Left Bank Road for Manali town.
Earlier in the day, Gadkari along with the Chief Minister also paid a visit to Rohtang Tunnel, an engineering marvel at a height of 10,059 feet, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had inaugurated in October 2020 to provide all weather connectivity to Leh.