Awasthi said that the revised plan was estimated to cost around Rs 2,200 crore, more than three times the Rs 700 crore budget projected for the initial alignment. He added that the new design involved complex engineering challenges, including the construction of two tunnels spanning 3.5 km and extensive excavation work, with nearly 55,000 cubic metres of additional earth cutting more than five times the original proposal.
Environmental concerns have also compounded, as around 70 per cent of the revised alignment is expected to pass through reserved forest areas, compared to just about 10 per cent in the earlier plan. Land acquisition costs are also projected to more than double, rising from Rs 120 crore to Rs 260 crore.
Awasthi said that the revised alignment would not utilise any previously acquired land, further escalating costs and delays. A major point of contention was that the new route would pass through Pandu Dhar, a known sinking zone where the ground reportedly subsided by one to two metres during the last monsoon season. The alignment also cuts across landslide-prone stretches, raising serious concerns about long-term stability and commuter safety.
The Parour-Padhar road stretch is part of the Pathankot-Mandi highway, which was declared a national highway in 1988. The 208-km corridor is vital for connectivity between Kangra and Mandi districts. Though the Central Government had approved its widening to four lanes in 2015, dividing the project into five packages, progress had been uneven. While the work is underway on three packages, the fourth package has become a flashpoint due to the altered alignment.
Awasthi stated that the original alignment was expected to benefit over 40 panchayats, serving nearly five lakh people and improving connectivity to key tourist and economic hubs such as Bir-Billing, Barot and the proposed the Bhubu Jot tunnel linking Jogindernagar to Kullu. In contrast, the revised alignment is projected to benefit only about six panchayats with a population of around 5,000, potentially isolating large communities and hampering local economic growth.
Given the stark difference in cost, safety implications and public benefit, the stakeholders have demanded a transparent re-evaluation of the alignment. They have also called for the constitution of an independent expert committee to assess both proposals before the final approval is granted.
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