Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Thursday called on Union Home Minister Amit Shah at New Delhi and urged for immediate relief of Rs. 2000 crore for relief and restoration works.

The state suffered immensely due to rain mayhem that triggered landslides and flooding damaging whatever came in the way.

He thanked the Union Minister for sending the Central Committee for assessing the flood damages in the state. The Chief Minister urged him to release funds as soon as possible as per the recommendations of the Central Committee and added that about one to two years time will be required to rebuild the infrastructure.

The Chief Minister apprised him about the massive damage incurred in the state due to incessant rains and cloudbursts.

He informed that the funds received under Disaster Relief for the current financial year have been released to concerned departments and Deputy Commissioners for relief operations and added that a pending amount of Rs. 315 crore under the National and State Disaster Relief Fund for years 2019-2020, 2020-2021 may be released soon as the amount received so far for relief operations is meagre against the magnitude of damages incurred.

After the patient hearing the Union Minister assured of all possible assistance.

The Chief Minister also met Union Raksha Mantri, Rajnath Singh.

He urged him for constructing an air strip at Rangrik in Spiti Valley, which will be of strategic importance as the location was situated at an aerial distance of 50 km from the International border with Tibet.

Pressing the demand for Airstrip, the Chief Minister said that Spiti has no other alternate access except National Highway (NH) 505.

Urging the Union Minister for relocation of Ammunition Depot Powari, he said that two alternate sites have been identified for the same and requested for appropriate action.

He said that the 450 MW Shongtong Karcham hydel project on the left bank of River Satluj was just opposite to this depot and added that so far excavation work for silt flushing tunnel is being done from inlet portal and not outlet portal due to some detrimental restrictions from ammunition depot.

The matter was discussed with Centre for Fire Explosives and Environment Safety to approve and finalize methodology for controlled blasting till ammunition depot is relocated enabling state government to undertake excavation from outlet portal.

Sukhu also requested for strengthening road infrastructure on NH maintained by Border Road Organization (BRO) besides constructing new roads for connecting villages adjoining border areas.

He also discussed redevelopment of old Hindustan-Tibet road, developing parallel stretch from Jeori to Bhabanagar and developing Khab-Leo-Chango road besides Bhabha Mudh road with a tunnel under Bhaba top.

This will reduce distance between Kaza and Shimla by 70 km.

He also stressed upon developing intermediate roads.

The Union Minister assured of all possible assistance.