E-Paper
Una explosion main accused arrested in Mumbai, death toll rises to 11
Rohit Puri, the accused, was arrested from Mumbai by the SIT, headed by DIG Sumedha Dwivedi, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said
The main accused in the illegal Una firecracker factory blast in which 11 people have died so far was arrested on Wednesday, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the state assembly.
Rohit Puri, the accused, was arrested from Mumbai by the special investigation team (SIT), headed by DIG Sumedha Dwivedi, Jai Ram said.
He gave the information during a discussion on governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s address in the ongoing budget session.
In the explosion that had happened on February 22, six migrant workers had been killed and 14 others had sustained burn injuries.
With five more people succumbing later, the overall casualty figure had risen to 11 by Wednesday.
Factory manager Deepak Kumar Rana was arrested on February 23.
More than 3,000 people died in road accidents in HP, assembly told
At least 3,174 people lost their lives in road accidents in the last three years in Himachal Pradesh, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur told in a written reply to Kinnaur legislator Jagat Singh Negi.
Jai Ram said 74 black spots, 1,320 vulnerable spots and 2,685 potential black spots have been identified during this period. Of these, 47 black spots and 155 vulnerable spots have been marked on the national highways. Under PWD, 27 black spots, 1,165 vulnerable spots and 2,685 potential black spots have been identified on other routes, it was told.
He said 39 black spots and 100 vulnerable spots on NHs and 24 black spots, 722 vulnerable spots and 2,126 potential black spots on other roads under PWD have been corrected and work on the remaining is in progress.
He said that a budget provision of ₹130.65 crore has been made in the road and safety fund in the last three years. He informed that 109 people in Bilaspur, 243 in Chamba, 96 in Hamirpur, 414 in Kangra, 105 in Kinnaur, 274 in Kullu, 22 in Lahaul-Spiti, 329 in Mandi, 550 in Shimla, and 323 in Sirmaur died in road accidents. As many as 390 people lost their lives in Solan and 319 in Una. Jai Ram added that fine of ₹2.2 crore was also collected by issuing 68,367 challans from 2017 to January 2022 under the Motor Vehicles Act.
Dhrowal-Nalagarh-Kunihar-Shimla NH approved
Jai Ram said that the government had given in-principle approval to Dharowal-Nalagarh-Ramshahr-Kunihar-Shimla road on September 14, 2016. The draft alignment report of this road has been sent to the Centre on August 28, 2018. He gave this information in a written reply to a question asked by MLA Lakhwinder Singh Rana. He said that only after getting approval from the Centre, its DPR will be prepared.
In a written reply to another question asked by MLA Jagat Singh Negi, he informed that there is no provision for making three-metre-wide connectivity roads in the MLA’s priorities. In a reply to another question, he said the information regarding breaking of more than 45 foundation stones and inauguration plaques in Kinnaur district is not factual.
Pathankot-Chakki-Mandi four-lane work to start in next financial year
Jai Ram said the work of the Pathankot-Chakki-Mandi four-lane road would start in the next financial year. He gave this information in a written reply to a question asked by MLA Mulakh Raj.
In response to a question asked by MLA Rohit Thakur, the CM said out of the 80 development blocks of the state, the work of digitisation of roads in 15 blocks has been completed.
