ExpansionThe Central Government has given approval for the construction work of the second phase of Kiratpur-Nerchowk Fourlane. Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has tweeted that the construction work of the second phase will be completed by December 2022. In the second phase, 48 km construction work is to be done from Kainchimod to Bhawana. At the same time, the investigation of irregularities in the project will continue. The Environment Ministry had stopped the construction work in June 2020 due to irregularities. After the intervention of BJP National President JP Nadda and Gadkari, approval was given to start the construction work of the four lane again.
Meanwhile, in June 2021, the ministry had laid down five conditions for starting the construction of the second phase on the forest land. The construction work was put on hold due to non-fulfillment of the conditions. On February 23, in the meeting of the Regional Authority Committee of the Environment Ministry, NHAI had requested that permission should be given to start the construction of the project. NHAI had said that out of the conditions imposed, three have been fulfilled. The other two conditions will also be fulfilled soon. Chief Conservator of Forests Anil Sharma said that the Central Government has given permission for the construction of Phase II. However, their orders have not yet reached them.
