New Delhi (07.11.2024): To upgrade Palampur-Padhar section of the Pathankot-Mandi highway to a four-lane road, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has invited fresh bids for a consultant. Project reports in the matter had already been prepared for a two-lane highway, but the project is stalled for three years due to changes in alignment and road width requirements.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu objected to the two-lane plan in December 2022 after taking over as the new CM citing the state’s heavy tourist traffic and advocating for four-lane highways. After discussions with Union Minister of Shipping and Transport Nitin Gadkari, the NHAI was directed to prepare a new project plan. This shift delayed the project for almost two years, as NHAI awaited approval for a fresh consultant appointment, expected to take an additional six months.
A new detailed project report (DPR) will be developed once the consultant is appointed and land acquisition will be started which may take another year to start the project. Under current circumstances, construction on the Palampur-Padhar stretch is likely to begin in 2026.
Meanwhile, the four-laning of other segments of Pathankot-Mandi highway is advancing. The Pathankot-Palampur section is on track for completion within the next two years, while the Environment Ministry has cleared the Padhar-Bijni (Mandi) segment, which has already been awarded to a private contractor. However, progress on the 60-kilometer Palampur-Padhar stretch, linking Kangra and Mandi districts, has been minimal.
The Pathankot-Mandi project was inaugurated by Nitin Gadkari in 2016 which originally was envisioned as a two-lane road. This strategic highway links Pathankot with Leh-Ladakh and other key northern regions.
