Kinnaur-Spiti road in HP gets clearance

The proposal for the construction of Attargoo-Sagam-Mudh-Bhawa road connecting Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti districts in Himachal Pradesh has recently been cleared by the National Board for Wildlife. The road passing through Rupi Bhaba Wildlife Sanctuary at 4,865m above sea level will cut the distance between Shimla and Kaza in Spiti by almost 100 km and the project was gathering dust for decades. Sources said that Khardungla is considered to be the highest motor worthy road in the world as it passes at a height of 5,387m and with the construction of Attargoo-Sagam-Mudh-Bhawa road it will become the second highest at 4,865m. Currently, the distance between Shimla and Kaza is around 410km and one has to take an arduous journey through Nako, Sumdo, and Tabo to reach Kaza. But through the new road the journey would be reduced to around 310 km. According to the tribal development minister Ram Lal Markanda, this is an ambitious road and is on the priority list of the state.