Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], August 27 : The Public Works Department (PWD) Minister of Himachal Pradesh, Vikramaditya Singh, on Wednesday stated that the state has suffered massive damage to its infrastructure due to incessant rain and floods over the past monsoon period, with the PWD alone reporting losses worth Rs 1,400 crore so far this monsoon.
Speaking to ANI in Shimla, he stressed the need for a joint policy change by the Centre and the states to ensure sustainable infrastructure in mountain states.
"In just three days, the PWD has suffered losses of Rs 500 crore just in three days, including the washing away of several bridges and roads," Singh said.
"Particularly in areas around the Beas river, the damage has been severe. We have deployed our entire departmental machinery, including JCBs and Poklen machines, in the Kullu and Manali regions, along with private machinery, to restore connectivity. We are making every effort to normalise the situation, and restoration work is ongoing." He said.
He said that under the chairmanship of the Assembly Speaker, a special meeting will be held soon with officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the PWD to discuss strategies for restoring normalcy on national highways.
Singh emphasised the need for coordinated efforts to address the recurring damage caused by extreme weather in mountain states.
"The mountain states, including Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, are facing major losses due to factors beyond just afforestation. States like Jammu & Kashmir and Punjab are also affected. The state and central governments must work together to bring systematic changes in policy. This is the right time to make changes in our development approach, and infrastructure standards must focus on sustainable development," he said.
Calling the situation "very challenging," Singh noted, "There is no doubt the damage is massive. In some areas, such as parts of Chamba, bridges have completely collapsed, and roads have been destroyed. Still, we are working tirelessly on the ground. Our tipper operators are working at ground zero. It is unfortunate that some workers have died on duty. It is our responsibility to provide employment to the families of those who have died, and also to ensure the safety of our personnel working on the ground," he added.
"My request to everyone is to stay safe in your homes. If you must travel for work, please be careful. Follow the advisory issued by the district and local administrations in line with red or orange alerts. Travel only if absolutely necessary and in accordance with official guidelines. The overall situation is concerning, but we are making every effort to restore normalcy," appealing to the public for caution, Singh said.