SUBHASH MAHAJAN
CHAMBA: Public Works and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh performed the bhoomi pujan for the upgradation of the under-construction Chakkar–Sherpur road in Gram Panchayat Tappar under the Dalhousie Assembly segment. The project involves an expenditure of about ₹7 crore and will benefit nearly 1,200 residents of Tappar panchayat.
Addressing a public gathering in Chakkar, the minister said that under PMGSY-4, Himachal Pradesh has been sanctioned 1,500 roads worth ₹2,300 crore. Of these, Chamba district alone has received approval for 65 roads with a sanctioned cost of ₹553.68 crore.
In Chamba district, PMGSY-4 will fund 29 roads worth ₹290.19 crore in Bharmour Assembly constituency, 12 roads worth ₹104.74 crore in Bhattiyat, 14 roads worth ₹81.24 crore in Chamba, 3 roads worth ₹21.07 crore in Churah, and 7 roads worth ₹56.44 crore in Dalhousie. A total of 327 kilometres of roads will be constructed in the district under the scheme.
Singh said that 17 roads costing ₹188 crore are being built under PMGSY-3 in Chamba district. Additionally, ₹70 crore is being spent on three roads under CRIF, while 12 roads under NABARD funding are being constructed at a cost of ₹107 crore. This brings the ongoing expenditure on road works in the district to ₹370 crore, with the newly sanctioned ₹553 crore under PMGSY-4 as an addition.
The minister said providing road connectivity to remote and sparsely populated areas of Himachal Pradesh remains a top priority for the state government, and assured that the remaining unconnected villages of Chamba district will soon be linked by road. Earlier in Dalhousie at 10 am, he released a booklet related to the Dalhousie Master Plan, and inspected major landslide-affected stretches of NH-154A, issuing necessary directions to officials. He also listened to public demands regarding road connectivity and assured phased action.
Former MLA and former Education Minister Asha Kumari formally welcomed the minister and thanked him for approving seven roads for Dalhousie under PMGSY-4. She raised demands for constructing the Sherpur–Simi bridge and issuing a bus permit for the Chakkar–Sherpur route. Singh assured that these demands would be met in a phased manner.
The programme was attended by former district zila parishad president Dharam Singh Pathania, Amit Bharmouri, Block Congress Committee acting presidents Kamal Thakur and Hemraj Berry, Chief Engineer (Kangra Zone) Vikas Sood, Superintending Engineer Diwakar Singh Pathania, Executive Engineer Atul Sharma, BDC member Sheetal Thakur, Chakkar Gram Panchayat Pradhan Sanjeev Kumar, Youth Club Chakkar president Manoj Kumar, secretary Rahul Sharma and other dignitaries.