The Hamirpur bypass starting from Mattensidh to Krishna Nagar area, covering a distance of 7-km, is still a distant dream.
Started with an estimated cost of Rs 33-crore, the cost of the project has now touched around Rs 75-crore, thanks to the lackadaisical approach of the national highways authority of India (NHAI) in general and the HP public works department in particular.
Though people used to cross the under construction bypass between Mattensidh and housing board colony, yet the condition of new road is deplorable. It has developed potholes at many places giving harrowing time to people, especially during the night.
Two large bridges over Hathli Khad and Dugha Khad had been constructed on this highway and perhaps that was the reason of late completion of the project.
The NHAI had announced that the project would be handed over to people by March 31, 2014, but the way the construction work on drains is going on towards the Mattensidh side, it may take at least six to eight months more to complete the project.
The foundation stone of the project was laid by former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal during his first tenure in 1998-2003. Since then, the work is going on a snail's pace.
Anurag Thakur, an MP from Hamirpur, says that he has already told the NH authorities to complete the work in time, so that the congestion on Dharamshla-Hamirpur highway via Hamirpur town ends soon.
{{/usCountry}}Anurag Thakur, an MP from Hamirpur, says that he has already told the NH authorities to complete the work in time, so that the congestion on Dharamshla-Hamirpur highway via Hamirpur town ends soon.
{{/usCountry}}According to him, the main aim of the government was to end the congestion of vehicles on roads and to provide a short route for the people between Shimla and Dharamshla.
Satish Nag, an executive engineer in NHAI, said that the work on the bypass was going in full swing and once the drains were completed, the project would be opened for traffic.