Reaching Mount Abu, Rajasthan's only hill station, is about to get noticeably quicker and easier. Until now, visitors had to rely on the single Aburoad to Mount Abu road, but the way has now been cleared for a 23 km double lane road running from Gulabganj to Mount Abu. The detailed project report (DPR) for the road was approved during Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma's visit to Mount Abu, after sitting pending with the government for a long time.
The road itself had been sanctioned earlier, but its DPR was still awaiting clearance. At present, the stretch from Gulabganj in Sirohi district's Revdar tehsil to Mount Abu is just an unpaved track that people cross on foot. Turning that dirt path into a proper road has been a demand for years.
One road only, and jams every season
With no alternative route to Mount Abu so far, problems keep piling up. During the monsoon, stones tumbling down from the hills, and the heavy flow of tourist vehicles through the season, often choke this lone road, leaving travellers stranded. Tourists arriving from Sirohi, Revdar and the Kandla highway side face an even longer detour to reach the hill station. It is this very problem that pushed the government to sanction the 23 km double lane road from Gulabganj to Mount Abu.
Shorter distance, savings on time and fuel
Once the new road is built, travel from the Sirohi district headquarters to Mount Abu will be cut by three-quarters of an hour. The distance between the district headquarters and Mount Abu will drop by 45 km, saving both time and fuel on the journey.
According to Mount Abu resident Sunil Acharya, the Gulabganj road will give a fresh push to tourism in the area. It will give Mount Abu direct connectivity with the Kandla highway. Pilgrims and tourists travelling from the Pavapuri Jain temple in Revdar to the Delwara Jain temple in Mount Abu stand to benefit the most, as they will have to cover 40 to 50 km less.
No harm to wildlife, 18 bridges proposed
The route passes through a wildlife zone, so 18 bridges have also been proposed keeping the safety of the area's wildlife in mind. The project includes 17 km of entirely new double lane road, while a 6 km stretch will be widened and strengthened. With the DPR now approved, a proposal will be sent for forest department and environmental clearance, and only after that can construction on the road begin.
