The much-anticipated 60-km Parour-Padhar four-lane highway project, envisioned as a crucial link in the strategically significant Pathankot-Mandi corridor, remains mired in uncertainty even after three years.
The glaring administrative delays in the project has left thousands of commuters grappling with hardships every day.
Touted as a project of immense economic, tourism and defence importance, it has failed to register any meaningful progress on the ground.
Only recently the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had appointed a consultant for preparing the detailed project report (DPR), which ideally should have been completed years ago. The belated move has done little to inspire confidence among the public.
Shockingly, the project continues to linger at a purely conceptual stage. No final alignment has been approved, no detailed field surveys have been carried out and the crucial process of land acquisition has not even begun.
Such an inordinate delay raises serious questions about planning, coordination and accountability in the executing agencies.
Meanwhile, residents of Baijnath, Paprola, Palampur and Jogindernagar are paying the price of this prolonged inaction. The existing narrow highway, already under strain, has become a daily nightmare due to a sharp surge in traffic, particularly of heavy vehicles, and tourist inflow.
Gopal Awasthi and Kirpal Singh, president and general secretary of the Four Lane Sangharsh Samiti, say that traffic congestion has now become chronic and frequent jams stretch over several kilometres.
The situation is aggravated by narrow carriageways, sharp curves and unchecked roadside encroachments. Traffic movement is hindered for hours even when a vehicle breaks down while emergency services are routinely caught in gridlocks, putting lives at risk.
Recently, a paragliding pilot died when the ambulance carrying him was caught in a traffic jam at Baijnath.
Gopal and Kirpal say, “Serious environmental concerns add to uncertainty. As per initial indications, the proposed alignment may cut through dense forest areas, potentially leading to the felling of around 5,000 green trees, which can further delay the project.
No state or Central agency will allow the cutting of such a large number of trees.” Experts warn that such large-scale deforestation in the fragile mid-Himalayan ecosystem can trigger soil erosion, increase the risk of landslides and cause irreversible ecological damage.
There is growing skepticism over whether the project, in its present form, will even get environmental clearance or not, they add.
The sangharsh samiti leaders urge the NHAI to follow the old alignment instead of cutting of 5,000 green trees.
Meanwhile, NHAI officials have largely remained non-committal, offering no clear timeline or updates on key aspects such as alignment, approvals or execution strategy.
This silence has fuelled public resentment, with many accusing the authorities of indifference towards a project of critical regional importance.
The Pathankot-Mandi four-lane corridor holds the promise of transforming connectivity between Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, boosting tourism, reducing travel time to key destinations like Manali, and strengthening strategic mobility.
However, with the Parour-Padhar highway project in limbo, these aspirations remain a distant dream.
