Chief minister Sukhu inspects Shimla 4-lane project, flags hill-cutting risks
Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu
on Tuesday inspected vulnerable sections of the under-construction 27-km Shoghi-Dhalli four-lane highway near Shimla, following rising public concern over the environmental and safety impacts of ongoing hill-cutting work.
Sukhu visited Bhattakufar, Sanjauli, Dhalli, Lindidhar, and nearby areas, where local residents voiced fears about property damage and life-threatening risks caused by aggressive excavation work undertaken by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Many blamed the hill-cutting for increasing landslide vulnerability in the region. Acknowledging the grievances, Sukhu said he would take up the matter directly with Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari.
He announced that the state govt would provide families living in unsafe structures with a monthly rental assistance of Rs 10,000 to help them find alternative accommodation.
A separate relief package will also be extended to those who have already suffered damage due to the ongoing construction, he said. The CM instructed all departments concerned to prioritise public safety and implement immediate remedial measures in the affected zones.
Sukhu suggested that future infrastructure projects in hill regions be awarded to local contractors who are better acquainted with the state's fragile terrain. He also urged the NHAI to consider modern construction methods, including tunnel-based routes, to minimise ecological disruption and reduce the risk of disasters.
The Shoghi-Dhalli project is part of a larger push to improve transport links in HP, but it has faced increasing criticism for its environmental toll. Sukhu's intervention signals the state govt's growing focus on balancing infrastructure development with community safety and ecological sustainability.
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