Local communities living along the Aut-Luhri highway in Himachal Pradesh are urging the state government to expedite infrastructure upgrades on the 95-kilometre arterial road. Citing traffic congestion and damage from recent heavy rainfall as major concerns, residents held a public demonstration last week calling on authorities to widen stretches of the highway and construct a bypass around the town of Banjar.
As one of the primary transport corridors connecting several mountain settlements to the district headquarters of Kullu, the single-lane Aut-Luhri highway struggles to accommodate vehicular traffic, especially during the tourist season. “The congestion has severely disrupted daily life for locals and hampered economic activities like farming, trade and tourism that sustain this region,” explained Guman Singh, a representative from Banjar. The backlog of repair work after last year's devastating floods has further deteriorated road conditions.
Leading the public rally, local MLA Surender Shourie highlighted how congestion on the narrow highway was costing the tourism industry millions. He mentioned that though a bypass project had commenced previously, work remained stalled for months. The public delegation submitted a formal memorandum to the district administration seeking resumption of bypass construction and urgent road widening efforts. They warned of intensifying protests if tangible steps were not seen within the next 10 days.
As a lifeline connecting remote mountain settlements to the rest of the state, improving the subpar infrastructure of the Aut-Luhri highway is a priority. Addressing this long-standing issue will bring much-needed relief to locals while also boosting the tourism potential of Banjar and surrounding areas. It remains to be seen if authorities will heed these voices and deliver realistic solutions to ease traffic woes along this crucial transit route.
