Incomplete Kiratpur-Manali highway causes ‘great harassment’ to commuters, Himachal HC summons concessionaire MD
A shot of the Manali Leh highway taken in June 2022. Photo used for indicative purpose only
Shimla, Sep 3 The prolonged delay in completion of the Kiratpur-Nerchowk-Manali highway has caused “great harassment” to commuters travelling towards Manali, the Himachal Pradesh High Court has observed, directing the Managing Director of the concessionaire company to appear before it and give an undertaking specifying by when the entire project would be completed.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice G.S. Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin C. Negi, while hearing petitions concerning the highway project, noted that commuters had been facing hardship for more than five years on account of the continuing construction work.
The court observed that the concessionaire agreement for the concerned stretch had been executed on August 10, 2017, with the appointed date of the project fixed as March 26, 2018, and the scheduled completion date as September 23, 2021. Despite the passage of several years beyond the stipulated completion date, the project remains incomplete at various stretches.
“In such circumstances, we have no option but to summon Managing Director of respondent No. 9 so that undertaking is taken from him as to upto which period the company will complete the entire work,” the court said, adding that commuters proceeding towards Manali were facing great harassment for over five years because of the construction work.
The court was dealing with CWPIL No. 212 of 2017 and connected CWPIL No. 27 of 2019 concerning the Kiratpur-Nerchowk-Manali project and the responsibilities of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), the concessionaire and other stakeholders.
The proceedings also brought out the poor condition of certain portions of the highway. The court noted that while some restoration work had been undertaken, photographs placed on record showed that there were still patches which could not be considered “road worthy.”
One such stretch is between Deod and Hangoi Pul and Hangoi Pul and Dawada. A portion from Hangoi Pul to Dawada had been washed out, while around 200 metres of road at Deod had suffered damage following unprecedented rainfall during July, August and September 2025. Although temporary restoration had been carried out, permanent restoration work was still in progress.
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The court was also informed that the NHAI had decided to undertake various works on the affected stretch through alternate means at the risk and cost of the concessionaire, with the assessed cost put at approximately Rs 290.08 crore.
The court noted that under the settlement agreement, the concessionaire had adopted short-term measures to make the stretch operational, while DPR consultants had been engaged for a long-term solution to slope protection works. At the same time, NHAI disputed claims that the project had been completed.
The proceedings also referred to earlier intervention by the High Court and the Supreme Court concerning delays in the highway works. The Supreme Court, while dealing with the matter in 2024, had emphasised that the concessionaire was bound by its contractual obligations and that the High Court’s objective was to ensure expeditious completion of the project in the interest of the residents of Himachal Pradesh.
The High Court has listed the matter for June 22, 2026, when the Managing Director of the concessionaire is expected to explain the timeline for completing the remaining works.
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