SHIMLA: Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur has directed the officers of the public works department (PWD) to ensure prompt and quality repair and maintenance of all roads damaged due to excessive rains and landslides during this monsoon season.He was presiding over the review meeting regarding repair, maintenance and restoration of rain damages on national highways in Shimla on Friday. He asked the officers to ensure filling up of potholes and emergent repair of national highways and action taken report be submitted to his office within 10 days.Additional chief secretary (PWD) Manisha Nanda informed that 923 roads were damaged due to landslides, out of which 915 roads had been opened for vehicular traffic.Thakur said steps should be taken to stabilize slopes by adopting new technology such as rock bolting etc. He said executing agencies should ensure that adequate men and machinery were deployed at landslide-prone areas so that road could be cleared at the earliest in case of any landslip. He said the priority of the government was to ensure pothole free and better roads so that commuters did not face any inconvenience while travelling.He also directed to take immediate steps to remove loose soil and boulders from national highways to ensure smooth flow of vehicular traffic. He said long-term strategy should be framed to ensure heavy rain causes minimum damages to the roads by ensuring proper drainage and cross-drainage facility. He said high-quality retaining walls, breast walls and pavements should be built so that they could withstand difficult conditions.Jai Ram Thakur, while expressing displeasure over the slow pace of work on Kiratpur-Manali four-lane, said that road was the lifeline for tourism in the state.While reviewing the progress related to new national highways approved by the Government of India, it was informed in the meeting that out of 70 new national highways, letter of acceptance for preparation of detailed project reports regarding 58 national highways with total length of over 3,650 kilometers, has been issued.

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