Nadda Reviews Rs. 551.03 bn Highway Projects in Himachal
The discussions focused on accelerating execution, resolving pending issues and ensuring that sanctioned funds deliver tangible benefits. Nadda called for faster progress on road, rail, healthcare and industrial schemes, while stressing timely use of central funds, administrative decisions and regular monitoring.
The Kishau project in Sirmaur district received particular attention after being declared a national project in September 2026. An agreement signed on September 15 by Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi created a framework for advancing the long-pending scheme.
Located on the Tons River along the Himachal Pradesh-Uttarakhand border, the project is designed to support water storage, irrigation and hydropower generation. Under the national project funding arrangement, the Centre will meet about 90 per cent of the financial burden, with the participating states sharing the remaining 10 per cent. Once implemented, it is expected to provide irrigation to around 97,000 hectares and generate an estimated 1.48 bn units of clean hydropower.
National Highway development was also a major part of the review. Himachal Pradesh has a 2,592-km National Highway network comprising 25 highways, of which 1,244 km is under the National Highways Authority of India, 779 km under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and 569 km under the Border Roads Organisation.
Nadda reviewed four key corridors: the Rs. 129.39 bn Kiratpur-Manali route, Rs. 108.05 bn Pathankot-Mandi route, Rs. 89.5 bn Parwanoo-Shimla route and Rs. 102.26 bn Shimla-Mataur route. He also stressed construction quality, improved road safety and adherence to stipulated deadlines.