The state government is all set to construct a 890-metre double-lane tunnel beneath the Jakhu Hill in Shimla linking Navbahar near the Petrol Pump with Circular Road near the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) to ease traffic congestion on city roads in the capital city of Himachal Pradesh.
This was stated by Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu while presiding over a meeting of the Public Works Department (PWD) here on Wednesday.
Sukhu said that the tunnel would be constructed with an outlay of Rs 295 crore, of which Rs 100 crore has already been released. The tender process will begin by the end of this month.
The Chief Minister emphasised that the state government was making earnest efforts to address the problems of traffic snarls in Shimla city. The move is aimed at providing relief to locals as well as tourists visiting the Queen of Hills. Directing the Public Works Department to remove all the bottlenecks on the Circular Road to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic, he said, “To achieve the goal, the process of land acquisition will commence within one week. A sum of Rs 122 crore has been allocated for widening and strengthening the Circular Road.”
The parking infrastructure would also be ramped up as soon as parking facilities for an additional 3,000 vehicles are developed, he added.
He further stated that the government is also considering eliminating hanging wires in Shimla through a project aimed at constructing underground ducts for electricity, cable, and optical fibre.
“In the initial phase of this project, a sum of Rs 23 crore would be spent with a focus on the heart of the city, namely Mall Road, Lower Bazar and Middle Bazar areas,” he said.
He directed the PWD to ensure quality work in all its projects.