Centre Approves Widening of Kangra-Una Highway to Four Lanes
ROADS & HIGHWAYS

Centre Approves Widening of Kangra-Una Highway to Four Lanes

The Central Government has issued a notification placing key stretches of the Ranital?Amb?Una?Mehatpur corridor under the jurisdiction of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for widening to four lanes and strengthening. The NHAI will undertake the construction and upgrade works to create a seamless route linking Kangra district with Una. The Kangra–Ranital stretch has already been converted into a four?lane highway, improving traffic flow and reducing congestion.

Certain portions of the road previously rested with the state Public Works Department and have now been transferred to the NHAI, which should accelerate long?pending improvement works under a centralised framework known for faster implementation and higher engineering standards. Amb functions as a gateway to the plains, and the upgraded route will strengthen access to major urban centres such as Chandigarh and Delhi while improving links to Punjab and Haryana. Residents of Una, Mehatpur and Amb are expected to see relief from congestion as the project progresses.

Once the entire Ranital–Amb–Una stretch is widened to four lanes, travel time between Palampur and Chandigarh is expected to fall significantly, from nearly six hours at present to around three?and?a?half hours. Apart from time savings, the works are expected to enhance road safety, reduce accident risks and provide smoother driving conditions for motorists and commercial vehicles. The improved corridor is likely to ease movement of people and goods, making inter?regional travel more reliable throughout the year. Local traffic flow is anticipated to benefit from reduced bottlenecks at key towns.

The economic implications are considerable, with the Kangra valley likely to see greater tourist footfall to destinations such as Dharamshala, McLeodganj, Palampur and Bir Billing as improved accessibility encourages year?round visits. Trade in agricultural produce, including Kangra tea, handicrafts and small?scale industrial goods should gain quicker access to markets in north India, lowering transportation costs and improving supply?chain efficiency. With the Centre's notification now in effect, officials and local stakeholders expect the comprehensive development of this strategic highway corridor to usher in a new phase of infrastructure growth, economic expansion and regional integration.

The Central Government has issued a notification placing key stretches of the Ranital?Amb?Una?Mehatpur corridor under the jurisdiction of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for widening to four lanes and strengthening. The NHAI will undertake the construction and upgrade works to create a seamless route linking Kangra district with Una. The Kangra–Ranital stretch has already been converted into a four?lane highway, improving traffic flow and reducing congestion. Certain portions of the road previously rested with the state Public Works Department and have now been transferred to the NHAI, which should accelerate long?pending improvement works under a centralised framework known for faster implementation and higher engineering standards. Amb functions as a gateway to the plains, and the upgraded route will strengthen access to major urban centres such as Chandigarh and Delhi while improving links to Punjab and Haryana. Residents of Una, Mehatpur and Amb are expected to see relief from congestion as the project progresses. Once the entire Ranital–Amb–Una stretch is widened to four lanes, travel time between Palampur and Chandigarh is expected to fall significantly, from nearly six hours at present to around three?and?a?half hours. Apart from time savings, the works are expected to enhance road safety, reduce accident risks and provide smoother driving conditions for motorists and commercial vehicles. The improved corridor is likely to ease movement of people and goods, making inter?regional travel more reliable throughout the year. Local traffic flow is anticipated to benefit from reduced bottlenecks at key towns. The economic implications are considerable, with the Kangra valley likely to see greater tourist footfall to destinations such as Dharamshala, McLeodganj, Palampur and Bir Billing as improved accessibility encourages year?round visits. Trade in agricultural produce, including Kangra tea, handicrafts and small?scale industrial goods should gain quicker access to markets in north India, lowering transportation costs and improving supply?chain efficiency. With the Centre's notification now in effect, officials and local stakeholders expect the comprehensive development of this strategic highway corridor to usher in a new phase of infrastructure growth, economic expansion and regional integration.

Related Stories

Gold Stories

Next Story
Resources

Schindler named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026

Schindler has been named among Forbes’ World’s Best Employers 2026, a global ranking recognising companies for their workplace environments.Compiled by Forbes in partnership with Statista, the ranking is based on independent employee feedback, including whether employees would recommend their organisation to friends and family.The company said the recognition reflected its focus on creating a workplace where employees can develop their expertise and build careers. ..

Next Story
Infrastructure Urban

India needs an export-execution mindset: Vishesh Jain

Interview with Vishesh Jain, Founder & CEO, EximpleWhat gaps in India’s global trade ecosystem led you to build Eximple, and what problem did you see businesses struggling with most?Eximple came out of a problem that all three founders had seen from different choke points in the trade ecosystem. India has millions of MSMEs and manufacturers, and many of them can make products that are genuinely competitive on quality. Yet only a small fraction is able to build meaningful international businesses. In our experience, the gap is usually not manufacturing capability; it is the ability to exe..

Next Story
Building Material

Nuvoco reports 13.5% revenue growth in Q2 FY27

Nuvoco Vistas Corp. Ltd. reported consolidated revenue of Rs 27.9 billion for Q2 FY27, up 13.5% year on year. Cement sales volume rose 9% to 4.7 million tonnes (MMT), while EBITDA increased 11% to Rs 4.11 billion.The company said it began its cement operations in 2014 with a 2.3 MMT per annum (MMTPA) operation at Nimbol. It now aims to reach 35 MMTPA of cement capacity by FY28, nearly 15 times its initial capacity. Its portfolio spans cement, ready-mix concrete and modern building materials.On sustainability and cost efficiency, Nuvoco partnered with CleanMax for a 46.4 MW wind-solar hybrid re..

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

SPECIAL OFFER
QR Code