The central government has approved Rs 1,452 crore by giving in-principle approval for the construction of a tunnel under the Jalori Jot pass in National Highway 305 in Kullu district. At the same time, Rs 135 crore has been approved for the construction of a bridge over the Browni Khad in Jhakri, Rampur. Giving this information, Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that the central government has approved an annual plan of Rs 3,667 crore for the financial year 2024-25 for roads, bridges and other construction works.
This amount will be spent on bridge construction, upgradation of roads and construction of crash barriers on national highways in all the districts of the state. Rs 1,385 crore has been approved for land acquisition, pre-construction activities for the four-lane construction work of Kala Amb-Paonta Sahib-Dehradun road. Vikramaditya said that a few days ago he had met Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and discussed important matters of the state.
The state has 1200 km of roads under the National Highway, for the maintenance and improvement works of which the Center was requested to provide important support. During the financial year 2023-24, the state government had sent an annual plan of 2,600 crores for approval but the state had received only Rs 269 crore. The Public Works Minister said that the matter of Bhubhu Jot tunnel and road construction connecting Mandi and Kullu districts has been raised with the Central Government. He has thanked Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari and the Central Government for approving the funds.