SHIMLA: The state election commission has asked the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to allow it to use the under-construction 8.8 kilometre Rohtang tunnel to facilitate the transportation of polling personnel and poll related material.
"The BRO has been asked to allow tunnel's usage for facilitating the transportation of men and machinery and election related material to Himachal Pradesh's tribal district Lahaul and Spiti," state Chief Electoral Officer Devesh Kumar said here Tuesday.
Over ninety per cent work for Rohtang tunnel is completed and it may be allowed to use for short term for elections, another state official said.
However, the BRO is gearing up to begin snow-clearance operation on the Manali-Leh highway and has assured to try getting it through by mid April before the elections to connect 13,050 feet high Rohtang Pass, an official spokesperson said.
Himachal Pradesh has four Lok Sabha seats and goes to polls in a single phase on May 19.
Simultaneously, in a meeting to review the election preparedness, chaired by Chief Secretary B K Agarwal, instructions were given to upkeep the rural roads and maintain paths connecting the polling booths.
Directions were also issued to keep manpower and machinery ready for clearance of roads in view of landslides.
The provision of air ambulance for airlifting of security and polling personnel was also discussed for providing immediate evacuation and medical-care for those on election duty, an official said.
The General Administrative Department (GAD) was entrusted the job of providing state chopper with medical and rescue teams in case of emergency, if any, he said.
Instructions were issued to the education department to provide additional manpower during the polls and maintenance of polling stations as maximum are housed in educational institutions, the election official said.