TNR Desk
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on March 11 virtually inaugurate the Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane highway, a significant infrastructure project connecting New Delhi to Pung near Sundernagar in Himachal Pradesh. The four-lane project, costing Rs 4,759 crore, spans a distance of 69 km.
Despite facing numerous challenges during its construction, the project has finally reached completion after nearly four years of meticulous effort.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) initiated the project in 2012. However, setbacks occurred when the construction company declared bankruptcy, halting progress. Nonetheless, in 2019, a new company took over the project, resuming construction activities.
Previously stretching over 106 km, the highway’s length has been reduced to 69 km upon completion of the four-lane expansion. This transformation comprises 47.753 km of green field and 21.45 km of brown field construction.
Key milestones include the awarding of the brown field tender for Rs 249 crore on August 14, 2019, with work commencing on November 27, 2019, and concluding on April 30, 2023. Similarly, the green field tender, awarded on October 16, 2020, witnessed construction from August 12, 2021, to June 7, 2023.
The project encountered challenges such as damage from landslides during the rainy season. However, the NHAI promptly addressed these issues, ensuring minimal disruptions to the project timeline. Garamora and Baloh toll plazas have been operationalised, with speed limits set at 60 km per hour and automatic speed cameras installed to enforce regulations.
The project includes the construction of five tunnels, namely Garamora (1,800 metres), Tehra (1,265 metres), Bhawana (740 metres), Tunhu (550 metres) and Baghchhal (465 metres), all equipped with double lanes. Additionally, 37 bridges, comprising 22 large and 15 small bridges, have been erected. While the majority of the Kiratpur-Nerchowk four-lane project nears completion, the final 6 km of bypass from Pung to Naulakha in Sundernagar remains pending.
Several dignitaries, including Union Minister Anurag Thakur, Members of Parliament and local MLAs have been invited to the inauguration ceremony, slated to take place in Shimla.
