When infrastructure becomes a perpetual liability
The Kiratpur–Manali four-lane highway was promoted as an engineering marvel that would reduce travel time, boost tourism, and accelerate economic development in Himachal Pradesh. Instead, it is increasingly becoming an example of how poorly conceived infrastructure in the fragile Himalayan terrain can destroy both public finances and the environment. The 113-km Kiratpur–Nerchowk section alone cost nearly Rs 4,500 crore, translating to almost…