Kailash Mansarovar Road Project: Nitin Gadkari Says 93 Percent Work Completed

At present, the travel to Kailash Mansarovar takes around two to three weeks through Sikkim or Nepal routes, but will be reduced by days via new route in Uttarakhand.

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Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways recently said that the over 90 percent work on the Kailash Mansarovar highway project via Pithoragarh has been completed. In an interview with PTI, Gadkari said "Ninety three per cent work on the Kailash Mansarovar project has been completed." The new road is expected to reduce the travel time for the pilgrims going to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra by many days. At present, travel to Kailash Mansarovar takes around two to three weeks through Sikkim or Nepal routes.

The minister, in 2022, complimented the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for completing the work of road connectivity from Dharchula to Lipulekh, popularly known as Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route, which will ease the journey of pilgrims. The Darchula - Lipulekh road is an extension of the Pithoragarh-Tawaghat-Ghatiabagarh road. It originates from Ghatiabagarh and terminates at Lipulekh Pass, the gateway to Kailash Mansarovar.

In this 80-km road, the altitude rises from 6,000 feet to 17,060 feet. With the completion of this project, the arduous trek through treacherous high-altitude terrain can be avoided by pilgrims of Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and the period of journey will be reduced by many days, reported PTI. 

Speaking about the India's highways infrastructure, he said that by 2024, it will match that of the US roads, for which work in time bound 'mission mode' is on including construction of green expressways and rail over bridges. He said cabinet nod to 'Bharatmala 2' is likely soon and once obtained it will meet the requirements of a robust infrastructure in the country.

"I am confident that India's highways will be on par with that of the US by 2024. Work in a time bound mission mode is on to build a robust infrastructure including a network of green expressways across the length and breadth of India," Gadkari told PTI in an interview. The Road Transport and Highways Minister said in this year railway over bridges are being constructed at a cost of Rs 16,000 crore which will be increased to Rs 50,000 crore in five years. 

Bharatmala Pariyojana is India's largest infrastructure programme to develop about 35,000 km of National Highway corridors, connecting over 580 districts in the nation. The programme signalled a paradigm shift to corridor approach of infrastructure development, reported PTI.