Ramgarh: The Centre has approved Rs 140 crore for the development of Chutupalu Valley in Jharkhand’s Ramgarh district, with the project aimed at improving road safety along the accident-prone stretch of the national highway.
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari approved the proposal following a recommendation from Amit Roshan, Project Director of the National Highways authority in Jharkhand, according to information provided by the project director.
Chutupalu Valley has witnessed numerous road accidents over the years, resulting in several deaths and injuries. Vehicles have also caught fire in past incidents, while collisions have caused extensive damage to vehicles.
As part of the safety measures, lighting has reportedly been installed along both sides of the 6.5-km road stretch over the past 10 days. The next phase includes the installation of eight high-mast lights equipped with cameras.
Roshan said each lighting unit would have camera coverage extending up to 500 metres, helping monitor activities along the valley. The surveillance system is expected to assist the police and National Highways officials in monitoring traffic, recording incidents and responding to accidents.
The proposed development plan also includes levelling roadside areas on both sides of the highway and identifying and strengthening accident-prone black spots.
The measures are intended to improve visibility, facilitate the monitoring of road conditions and support efforts to reduce accidents along the valley.
Ramgarh Deputy Commissioner Rituraj has also been regularly reviewing road safety issues. He has issued directions to district transport officials, including District Transport Officer Rajesh Ekka, and National Highways officials during road safety committee meetings. He has also inspected the valley periodically.
Following the Centre’s approval, the development plan for Chutupalu Valley has been prepared to a substantial extent under the leadership of Project Director Amit Roshan. The proposed investment of Rs 140 crore is expected to support improvements to the highway stretch, with the focus on addressing road safety concerns and reducing the risk of accidents.