Himachal chief secretary directs officials to speed up road restoration ahead of winter season

Shimla, Oct 6 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh's Chief Secretary, Sanjay Gupta, chaired a review meeting on Monday to take stock of the status of road restoration works and preparedness measures ahead of the winter season.

He directed the officials to accelerate the repair and restoration of roads damaged by the monsoon to facilitate unhindered traffic movement.

The chief secretary stated that around 120 roads were affected by the recent rains and instructed that their restoration be prioritised so that most of them are reopened by the end of this month.

During the meeting, it was informed that necessary instructions had been issued to the Regional Officer, NHAI, to ensure that the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway remains open with at least two lanes in all stretches.

The Regional Officer, NHAI, assured that the highway is operational with a minimum of two lanes, even at locations that suffered damage during the recent monsoon.

Gupta emphasised that all departments should complete the required arrangements well before the onset of the winter season. "Proper planning for snow removal and other necessary measures must be done in advance to maintain smooth connectivity and ensure public comfort during the cold months," he said.

Secretary (PWD) Dr Abhishek Jain apprised the chief secretary that the department is in the process of identifying suitable sites for muck disposal and is prioritising the strengthening of existing roads rather than constructing new ones, keeping in mind the need to protect the environment.

He further informed that the Public Works Department has collaborated with IIT Ropar for technical support, which would enhance the department's capacity and bring transparency and credibility to its work. Jain said that the department is focusing on developing climate-resilient infrastructure in light of the increasing challenges posed by climate change in the state. PTI COR HIG HIG