Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat on Tuesday asked the Centre to reimburse over Rs 50 crore spent by the state on reconstruction of roads to the four famous Himalayan shrines.
At a meeting with Union minister for Highways and Surface Transport Nitin Gadkari in New Delhi today, Rawat said due to "unsatisfactory" work of the BRO and the National Highways Authority of India on char dham yatra routes, the state had to spent Rs 50.95 crore for repair and reconstruction of a vital stretch on NH 58 from Manglaur to Nepali farm.
Rawat also demanded national highway status for two vital roads-- Marchula-Chaikhutiya-Khirakhansar-Bachuband-Mahalchaid road and Haridwar-Roshanabad-Bandarjoor-Baggawala-Biharigarh road.
He also said that repair work of NH-58 from Ghaziabad to Haridwar should be completed latest by September next year in view of 2016 Ardha Kumbh.
The repair of Marchula-Mahalchaid road is also important in view of toning up connectivity to Gairsain which is being developed as the state's summer capital, he said.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that considering Uttarakhand's vulnerability to natural calamities its demands will be treated by the Centre on priority.
Rawat also met Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and urged her to expedite release of Centre's share of funds for flood control measures in the state.
Eight projects worth Rs 82.38 crore are under construction in Uttarakhand under the Centre sponsored flood management programme and release of Rs 29.46 crore is still awaited, Rawat told Bharti
