HP minister demands global tenders for Manali-Leh road maintenance

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur has requested the Union Government to invite global tenders for starting the maintenance work of Manali-Leh road on priority which has been declared as National Highway.
Thakur raised this demand with Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari during a meeting n New Delhi on Wednesday. He said that Manali-Leh road was very significant from strategic point of view for the country and ration and other material was being supplied to Kargil and other important places through this route.
He also requested Gadkari to direct the concerned company engaged for the construction of new road from Kiratpur for maintenance of the existing Kiratpur-Manali road as commuters were facing inconvenience due to bad road conditions. He demanded the construction of tunnel at Bhubhu Jot on Kiratpur-Manali road which would reduce the distance from Pathankot to Kullu and Manali by 70 kilometers.
Kaul Singh said that this portion should be declared as a part of National Highway and complete this work on priority. He informed the union minister that the work on detailed project report of this three kilometers long tunnel had already been started and Rs 85 crores would be spent on its constructed.
Kaul Singh Thakur also demanded Rs 45 crores from Central Road Fund for maintenance of Mandi-Kamand-Katola-Bajora road which connects the prestigious institute of IIT Mandi.
Gadkari has directed the concerned officers to provide priority for maintenance of various roads in Himachal Pradesh and also assured that he himself would visit the State to take stock of the road conditions.