HP SEEKS WORLD BANK’S HELP TO UPGRADE HIGHWAYS

SHIMLA : In order to upgrade two national highways in the state, the Union ministry of road transport and highways has sought financial assistance from the World Bank, an official said on Monday.

The national highways are 124 kilometers(km) HamirpurMandi section of NH-70 (new NH-03) and 97km Paonta Sahib-Gumma section of NH-72B (new NH-707) with an estimated cost of ₹909.81 crores and ₹779.10 crores respectively, informed additional chief secretary Manisha Nanda.

The Hamirpur-Mandi national highway will be developed as green highway, the chief secretary added. She said that a team of World Bank is currently inspecting the roads and will hold discussions with the state functionaries regarding the project.

Nanda said that the World Bank has also approved the second phase of HP State Road Transformation Programme to be executed by HP Road and other Infrastructure Development Corporation (HPRIDC). The total project cost is ₹770 crore.

Under the project, state network roads, measuring 650km, will be upgraded to double lane standards in three tranches.

“The first phase of the programme, which was launched in 2007, has been completed. As many as 10 roads measuring 435km have been upgraded to intermediate/double lane standard, except one, namely TheogKotkhai-Hatkoti-Rohru road,” she said. HTC