Roads of Himachal Pradesh :

Himachal Pradesh is bordered by Jammu and Kashmir to the north and Uttar Pradesh to the south, to the Northwest is Punjab and Haryana is to the southwest. Uttaranchal is to the southeast of the state. With a sq Km of 55,653, the state is full of mountains, plains, hills, now peaked mountains, greenery and landscape. Tourists should carry a map to reach the right place as the place can get confusing due to the hilly region and the many roads that the state has. The state has many other towns like the Kullu, Dalhousie, Kangra, Dharmasala, Chamba, Manali, Dharmashala, Hamirpur etc, which are great places to visit. To reach these places a map can be very useful to find the exact roads and also places of interest while you pass by. 

Being a very important tourists and a place of many pilgrimage centers, the government is always striving to put up good roads for the convenience of the visitors. There are almost 2000 temples in the state of Himachal Pradesh and that is why people from all over the country visit the state many times a year. The twelve districts of Himachal Pradesh are well connected that provides great access for business and many other purposes. Due to the hilly region, the roads have to develop every time there is a natural disaster during bad weather.

The state has a good road network, in which 9 are national highways and 19 state highways. There are around 45 major district roads connecting various places. The Government has taken up various plans to build the infrastructure of the state road. Many revolutionary projects are coming up that would upgrade the present conditions of the roads in the state. With proper roads the chances of developing the industries and factories in this hilly region are going to increase and with it most of the district can get access to hospitals, schools, colleges, etc. various grants have been provided by the central government to focus on the development of roads. 

Importance has been given to the rapid economic development of the state, which makes it necessary for the roads to be world class and to develop important sectors that can fetch revenue to the state like the horticulture, forestry, handicraft industry, agriculture etc all depend on good efficient road network. Steps have been taken to build these various sectors along with tourism to enhance the revenue of the state. The state has millions of foreign and Indian visitors and therefore it is necessary to provide the best for them. The state government along with the central government has made extensive plans to make Himachal Pradesh self sufficient and self reliant for a better state. 

Conditions of Roads :

• In Himachal Pradesh, road accidents account for the highest percentage of deaths by far from any calamity. Out of the total, 15 percent accidents in hilly areas of India are caused by ill-maintained roads despite the fact that these accidents are easily avoidable.
• As part of the safety measures, the road surface should be free of moisture, potholes, loose gravel, dust etc. Everday, several minor accidents occur in a bid to avoid potholes on the roads, but the matter receives no significant attention of government and the public. 
• The poor and unsafe road conditions are directly associated with corruption.  The poor and unsafe road conditions are directly associated with corruption. 
•  The Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department and the private contractors deserves a mention. The duo is perhaps the world renowned for the poorest job in road construction and maintenance as the State is an international tourist destination.
• Poor quality asphalt concrete with an almost negligible amount of bitumen is used in tarring of roads. The roads are approved by the government. As a result of it, these roads easily wash away in rains, leaving behind layers of loose gravel and dust on the road surface. This loose gravel poses a huge risk of road accidents. Especially, it is lethal for two-wheel riders.

Steps taken for improvements of roads :

• HP government had notified establishment of “The State Transport Development and Road Safety Council.”

      The Council was supposed to consider all aspects that contribute to road accidents and take measures like better road designing with engineering solutions, safety audits for selected stretches of National Highways, rumble strips, reflective stickers at junctions, fixing signboard/ cautionary board, providing signage and speed restrictions.

• Himachal Pradesh launches road accident data management system to improve road safety

Indian State, Himachal Pradesh, has officially launched its first road accident data management system (RADMS) for the management, analysis and evaluation of road traffic accident data. It will enable the easy identification and re-design of any accident prone road sections and also appropriate budgetary allocations. The system will also go a long way in helping the police department to effectively monitor and regulate their activities, as well as equip other stakeholders, like the Health Department, for any future planning.

• Setup the crash barrier in the accident prone areas.
• Proper infrastructure has been provided for training of drivers and there are also suggestions for regular checkups of drivers of public transport.
• Regular maintainance of roads has been given importance in the wake of accidents due to pot holes by PWD and NHAI .