Una, October 11:- Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri laid the foundation stone of an Automated Testing Station (ATS), to be constructed at a cost of Rs 5 crore in Roda, in the Haroli Assembly constituency. The station is targeted for completion within nine months. Once operational, vehicle fitness inspections and certification will be carried out using modern machinery.
Mukesh Agnihotri said that three testing lanes would be established at the ATS to inspect the fitness of heavy vehicles, light motor vehicles, three-wheelers and two-wheelers. A traffic park has already been developed at this location, where driving tests for obtaining driving licences are conducted. With the ATS becoming operational, both driving tests and vehicle fitness certification will be available at the same location. This will provide people with both facilities under one roof.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that the area from Rampur Bridge to Haroli Jal Bhawan is being developed as New Haroli. A heliport costing Rs 22 crore and a synthetic track costing Rs 10 crore are being developed here. A Sainik Bhawan will also be constructed in the same area at a cost of Rs 3.50 crore.
He said that plans are also underway to establish the Superintending Engineer's office of the Jal Shakti Department, a district court, an industries office, an indoor stadium and a fairground in the area. Once completed, these projects will transform the area into a new centre for development and modern facilities.
Under the Automated Testing Station project, the Public Works Department will develop the building, testing lanes, inspection area, offices, waiting rooms, parking and other basic infrastructure. The Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will provide the machinery required to operate the station, technical equipment, control systems, software, CCTV cameras and related technical facilities.
On the occasion, Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee General Secretary Ranjit Rana, Haroli Block Congress Committee President Sandeep Agnihotri, Zila Parishad member Kewal Singh Aujla, STA member Ashok Thakur, Subhadra Chaudhary, Vinod Kumar Bittu, former Roda Panchayat Pradhan Sharda, Haroli SDM Vishal Sharma, DSP Haroli Mohan Rawat, HRTC Divisional Manager (Technical) Pawan Sharma, Hamirpur DM Raj Kumar, XEN BSM and DA Kamal Sharma, Una RM Rajesh Joshi, Public Works Department XEN Nitin Kumar, Jal Shakti Department's Puneet Kumar and other dignitaries were present.
