Shimla, May 6,
Himachal Pradesh has achieved a major milestone in rural infrastructure development, with the state securing a sanction of Rs. 3,345.81 crore for the construction of 3,123 kilometers of rural roads and 43 bridges under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III. This was announced by Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh, who highlighted the department’s focused efforts to improve rural connectivity in a time-bound manner.
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Providing details, the Minister said that of the sanctioned works, 517.334 kilometers of road length has already been completed, with an expenditure of Rs. 802.59 crore. He emphasized that the department is committed to accelerating the pace of execution, ensuring that projects are delivered efficiently and on schedule.
Addressing the financial performance of the department, Vikramaditya Singh pointed out that during the financial year 2024–25, the expenditure under PMGSY touched Rs. 905 crore, significantly surpassing the allocated amount of Rs. 650 crore. In recognition of this enhanced performance, the state has urged the Central Government to double the allocation for the upcoming year 2025–26 to Rs. 1,300 crore.
The Minister also shared progress on PMGSY-IV, noting that the mapping of 1,560 habitations has been completed, out of which 1,115 habitations have been deemed eligible by the Ministry of Rural Development. So far, 862 habitations, including 102 under Stage-I, have already received approval. Following a meeting with the Union Minister for Rural Development on April 30, a high-level team from the National Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (NRIDA) visited Shimla on May 2 and 3. During their visit, the team held extensive discussions with PWD officials and assured that the 247 habitations previously rejected would be re-evaluated on a case-by-case basis after thorough verification.
The state has informed the Centre that land is available for 151 of these 247 habitations and has requested early approval for them. Once approved, the state government plans to prepare around 250 Detailed Project Reports (DPRs), covering an estimated 1,400 kilometers under PMGSY-IV. The Minister assured that this process is being executed in a fast-track manner to ensure timely implementation and benefit to rural communities.
