The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs in a latest move has approved highway projects worth Rs. 1,583-cr in Himachal Pradesh under NHDP under Hybrid Annuity Mode. The first project pertains to two laning with construction of four-lane highway of the Shimla bypass, which is between Kaithlighat and Shimla on NH-22 at a cost of Rs. 1,583.18cr. The amount would be utilised for land acquisition, resettlement & rehabilitation, and for activities before constructing the highways under Phase III, said NHAI sources, adding that the total length of the road will be approximately 28 kilometres. The main objective of this project is to improve the infrastructure in Himanchal Pradesh and reduce the time and cost of travel for commuters, particularly towards movement of heavy traffic on the Kaithlighat-Shimla section. This is not the first time that the government has sanctioned projects in Himachal Pradesh and has already in March 2016; the central government had approved 11 highway projects worth Rs. 6,284-cr in Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka. Of the 11 highway projects, nine projects would be implemented in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) mode, one would be a hybrid annuity mode, and another would be a build-operate-transfer mode project, the sources added.
