New Delhi, March 16
The Union Government has given a go-ahead to widen the much-awaited 168 km Ambala-Kalka-Shimla national highway to four lanes under the National Highway Development Programme (NHDP-III).
Other projects cleared for the region include Jalandhar-Amritsar (49 km) and Amritsar-Pathankot (101 km) in Punjab, Chandigarh-Kiratpur (73 km), Delhi-Hisar (160 km), Delhi-Dehra Dun (280 km) and Srinagar (101km) in Jammu and Kashmir.
Under the NHDP, the government has decided to take up 10,417 km of national highways in 71 stretches in two phases. In the first phase, the government has approved NHDP Phase III-A covering 4,000 km at an estimated cost of Rs 22,000 crore (including land acquisition). The first phase is targeted for completion by December 9.
In the second phase, NHDP Phase III-B, the government has agreed “in principle” covering 6,000 km at a later stage.
In a written reply, Minister of State for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways K.H. Muniyappa today informed the Lok Sabha that the total estimated cost of the programme would be Rs 55,000 crore.
Replying to another question of Akali Dal MP Sukhbir Singh Badal, Mr Muniyappa said: “Some temporary encroachments have come up along GT Road (NH-I) and other national highways in Punjab and Haryana,” while assuring that these would be removed soon.
