Himachal: Residents demand immediate repair of Aut-Luhri road

Himachal Pradesh: The poor condition of the Aut-Luhri Highway (NH 305) has frustrated the residents of Banjar in Kullu district, who are now demanding its immediate repair. The highway section has not been asphalted since 2012, and is in a completely dilapidated condition, affecting the daily lives of local residents and local businesses. Expressing his concern, Guman Singh, a major tourism stakeholder from Banjar, said, “The Aut-Luhri Highway is a lifeline for our valley that supports our economic and social well-being. The deteriorating condition of the road is a serious concern, causing inconvenience to residents, businesses, commuters, taxi drivers and tourists.” Another resident, Hemraj Sharma, highlighted the dangers posed by the pathetic condition of the road. He described the section from Jalori Pass to Aut as particularly dangerous for travellers. KL Suman, XEN, Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department, said the contract for maintenance of the stretch from Jalori Pass to Ghiaghi will be awarded on the basis of performance based management contract for five years. Earlier tenders for this stretch had failed due to lack of qualified bidders. The department plans to re-invite tenders soon. For the stretch from Ghiaghi to Aut, Suman revealed that a detailed project report (DPR) was submitted to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, requesting Rs 6.41 crore for tarring and improvement of the road.

“We will start the maintenance work as soon as we get the required funds from the central government,” he assured. The letter sent by the Chief Engineer (NH) of Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department to the Chief Engineer (North-1) in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways highlighted that the highway passes through popular tourist destinations like Banjar, Jibhi and Jalori Pass, which are part of the Great Himalayan National Park. The letter emphasised that the poor condition of the road often leads to traffic jams and poor tourist experience, with protests by locals and visitors being common. The letter further stated that there has been no tarring work on the road since 2012 and in its current state, it resembles a ‘kachcha’ road due to lack of proper carriageway markings. Despite efforts made by the department to maintain it with available resources, these measures have been inadequate.