Shimla, March 11 (IANS): In a major push to road infrastructure in Himachal Pradesh, whose economy largely banks on tourism and horticulture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually inaugurated Kiratpur to Nerchowk four-lane section of the NH-21 that falls on the Chandigarh-Manali stretch.

The new four-lane stretch was constructed at a cost of around Rs 3,400 crore.

The execution of the road project by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) between Kiratpur in Punjab and Manali will shorten the distance from 232 km to 195 km, reducing the travel time by three hours.

Officials said that the work on the Pandoh bypass to Takoli, which is underway, will provide round-the-year connectivity to Manali.

It will become the largest cross-sectional tunnel in the region and reduce travel time from Mandi to Manali by 90 minutes, say officials.

The Pandoh to Takoli stretch has four twin tube tunnels, two single tube tunnels, two major and nine minor bridges, one elevated bridge and 19 km road.

Even on normal days, tmotorists are advised to travel with precaution between Mandi and Kullu towns owing to landslide-prone, narrow and sinking stretches due to loose rock strata and vulnerable to being flooded by the Beas river that ran along the highway.

The twin tube tunnels built between Pandoh and Aut as part of the Kiratpur-Manali project, bypasses the landslide-prone stretch that passes via the Hanogi Mata temple.

Every year after heavy rainfall, the flooded Beas flows over the highway between Kullu and Mandi that has steep hills on one side and deep valleys of the river on the other.

The NHAI in August last year opened the Kiratpur-Nerchowk section of highway for all vehicular traffic on a trial basis.

A large section of the highway between Takoli and Kullu, and Kullu to Manali, which had been completed, suffered heavy damage during last July's flash floods and landslides.

A significant portion of it was completely washed away near Manali.