Locals demand National Highway status for Dramman-Chamba-Killar Road

Our Correspondent

Chamba, August 17

The residents of Chamba district have made an urgent appeal to the Kangra MP Rajeev Bhardwaj asking him to take up the issue of the Dramman-Chamba-Killar road with the Centre and get it declared a National Highway.

This road was initially approved in principle as a National Highway back in 2016; however, since then, no concrete steps have been taken to formalise the declaration.

Abhishek Chambial, a local youth, said that Chamba which had been recognised as an aspirational district requires significant infrastructure development to spur growth and development.

However, the government's indifferent attitude and lackluster approach have become significant obstacles to progress in the region. 'Various organisations in Chamba have repeatedly raised the issue, advocating the road's designation as a National Highway and the construction of proposed tunnels along the route, but their efforts have yet to yield results," he said. He said the road would not only provide easy connectivity to the remote district but also boost tourism and local economy.

Apart from poor connectivity, Anju Devi, a Zila Parishad member said, large sections of this route are prone to landslides during the monsoon.

Further highlighting the need for improved infrastructure and increased funding for road improvements, she said, the announcement to declare this road as a National Highway was made by the Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, during his visit to Himachal Pradesh, but the promise was yet to materialise. "The areas along this route are mostly backward and an improved road connectivity can help uplift the socio-economic conditions of the people living in these areas.

The president of Chowri Nagar panchayat Kusum Dhiman also affirmed the demand to get the road notified as a National Highway. "Doing so would not only provide better road facilities for commuters but also give a much-needed boost to tourism in the region," she said.

The region holds immense potential for tourism, but the area's poor connectivity and long distances from other parts of the state have resulted in a low influx of tourists, particularly when compared to popular destinations like Khajjiar and Dalhousie.