Shimla. The picture of Pathankot-Mandi National Highway is about to change. NHAI has also started preparations to convert Pathankot-Mandi into four lane on the lines of all other national highways of the state. In this, NHAI will construct four lanes between Paddhar and Bijni. However this construction will be completed in the future. Actually, the tender process for two-lane construction in this 25 kilometer long stretch has started.
The tender for four lanes will be held again in the second phase from Paddhar to Bijni. In this, NHAI will complete the land acquisition work in the second phase, while the other road from Pathankot to Mandi will be made four lane. The stretch from Paraur to Paddhar is already being made four-lane by NHAI.
It is noteworthy that at present the work of five big four lanes is going on in Himachal. Among these, work is being completed in many parts of Shimla-Kalka, Kiratpur-Manali, Pathankot-Mandi and from Mataur to Shimla. Among these, NHAI has connected Kiratpur-Manali National Highway up to Sundernagar in Mandi.
In such a situation, after the start of the effort to convert two-lane into fourlane on Pathankot to Mandi National Highway, now the connectivity of Mandi will be connected with fourlane from both the sides. This will reduce the distance of Mandi from both Shimla and Kangra districts and will also reduce the time taken by the drivers traveling. At present, NHAI has started the effort to convert the stretch from Paddhar to Bijni on Pathankot-Mandi National Highway into four lane.
This part will initially be made two-lane, while later it will be converted into four lane. After the construction of this four lane, the journey from Jogindernagar to Chandigarh will take four hours and the journey from Palampur to Chandigarh will take five and a quarter hours. Some areas beyond Joginder Nagar till Paddhar will remain far away. NHAI regional officer Abdul Basit said that the work of converting Pathankot-Mandi National Highway into four lane has started.
It is being completed at a rapid pace in the Kangra part. He said that there is speculation about keeping the stretch between Baijnath-Mandi as two-lane, but NHAI is in favor of making this entire route four-lane. The tender for the portion between Padhar to Bijni has already been done. In such a situation, only this part will become two-lane in the first phase, but after this it will be converted into four lane. A network of four lanes is being prepared in the entire state.
