Shimla, May 7 -- Himachal Pradesh public works minister Vikramaditya Singh said on Tuesday that the state government has written to the Centre for four-laning of the Shimla-Rampur national highway (NH). The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is already constructing a four-lane road from Kalka to Dhali in Shimla. "Keeping in view the strategic importance of the road, we have asked the Centre to extend the four-lane project beyond Dhali to Rampur Bushahr," the PWD minister said, adding that the decision now lies with the NHAI. This road is strategically important as Indto-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) jawans deployed on the India-China border in Kinnaur district travel using this road. There is currently a two-lane road from Dhali to Rampur-Kinnaur. The work of the first four phases is in its final stage. In the last phase, the work of four-lane road is going on from Kaithlighat to Dhali. Vikramaditya said, "The Centre has been requested to build the four-lane road in two phases. In the first phase, it was urged to build it from Dhali to Narkanda and in the second phase, from Narkanda to Rampur." "Looking at topography of the state, we have requested the Centre to build as many tunnels as possible so that the environment is not harmed," the minister said, stressing that Himachal has already suffered the brunt of environmental damage due to heavy cutting of mountains in the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane project. Talking about the challenges, he said, "We are a hilly state where most of the transportation depends on roads as rail connectivity is minimal." He added that a special request was made for the use of cemented roads in high-altitude areas. Facing challenges in land acquisition, the minister appealed for public cooperation in land acquisition. "Roads can only be built when people voluntarily provide land. If someone donates more than the required land, we will explore the possibility of honouring them by naming the road after their family, subject to approval from the Chief Minister." Vikramaditya said Himachal government has secured sanction for the construction of 3,123 kilometres of rural roads and 43 bridges at a cost of Rs.3,345.81 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY)-III. "We are aiming for approval of another 1,400 km roads and to connect 1,560 habitations with populations between 200 to 250 people," Singh said....