Shimla, April 13: Director General of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), Lt Gen Raghu Srinivasan, met Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to discuss vital road infrastructure projects under Project Deepak.
Sukhu urged the BRO to assume responsibility for several strategic roads currently maintained by the state PWD, including the Leo-Chango and Shiv Mandir-Gue stretches. He also proposed that the BRO take over the Wangtu-Attargoo-Mudh-Bhawa Pass road, which recently received wildlife clearance and is poised to become the second-highest motorable road in the country after Khardung La.
“This route will reduce the Shimla-Kaza distance by nearly 100 km and boost defence logistics, tourism and accessibility to remote areas,” Sukhu noted.
Lt Gen Srinivasan briefed the CM on ongoing upgrades to NH-03, NH-05 and NH-505 in the Manali and Sissu sectors, which are being developed under Project Deepak.
Sukhu also asked the BRO to take over the Chamba-Bairagarh-Sach Pass-Killar road, which connects the sensitive Pangi valley near the Pakistan border and the LAC, and pressed for fast-tracking the proposed 13-km Tissa Tunnel for year-round connectivity to Killar.
Lt Gen Srinivasan assured that in-principle approval had been secured and formalities for the takeover of the proposed roads would soon be completed to expedite work.
