Leh/New Delhi: Ladakh’s urban transport system may be up for massive transformation, particularly to ease out traffic during the peak tourism season.
Lieutenant Governor R. K. Mathur, who is in New Delhi, called on Nitin Gadkari, the Minister for Road Transport and Highways to discuss various road development projects in the Union Territory of Ladakh, including proposal for a cable car project, funicular and improvement in roads.
Gadkari’s Minister of State Gen V. K. Singh and top officials of Central Government, Ladakh administration and Border Roads Organization (BRO) attended the meeting as the Minister accorded propriety attention to matters raised by LG Mathur.
The Minister discussed the proposals for cable cars, tunnels, bridges and Funicular transit system in Ladakh to solve mobility issues for local population of the Union Territory and tourists. “Various projects under construction and likely to be taken up for construction in future in the Union Territory of Ladakh came up for discussion during the high-level meeting,” the officials said, adding that Gadkari has been regularly monitoring the projects in Ladakh.
The Office of Nitin Gadkari said in tweets: “Union Minister Nitin Gadkari held a meeting to discuss various road development projects in Ladakh with LG of the UT of Ladakh Radha Krishna Mathur along with Union Minister of State Gen (Retired) BK Singh, Central and UT Transport officers and Border Roads Organization”. It further tweeted: “Gadkari discussed the proposals for cable cars, tunnels, bridges, and Funicular transit system in Ladakh to solve mobility issues for local population and tourists & assured that Ministry of Road Transport and Highways would extend all the required support to improve connectivity in these hilly terrains of Ladakh”.
Sources said a number of ongoing works in the Union Territory of Ladakh came up for discussion at the meeting. Works taken up by the MORTH are already apace in Ladakh, the officials said, adding they could be further expedited to meet the deadline. Ladakh, it may be mentioned has very limited working season though now the works are being carried out by the Central Government Ministries including MORTH under extreme harsh winter weather conditions due to which the works are being completed on time while ongoing works are also scheduled to be completed within the deadlines.
