Shimla, (Himachal Pradesh), [India] October 3 (ANI): The PWD Minister of Himachal Pradesh and Chairman of the Virbhadra Singh Trust, Vikramaditya Singh, announced on Friday that the statue of former Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh will be unveiled on the historic Ridge in Shimla on October 13.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will attend the ceremony along with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy CM Mukesh Agnihotri and senior Congress leaders. Also Read | Air Force Chief AP Singh Emphasises Urgent Need for Self-Reliance in Defence Technology, Says Work on Indigenous ‘Sudarshan Chakra’ Has Begun (Watch Videos).
“On October 13, the statue of modern Himachal’s architect, the late Raja Virbhadra Singh, will be unveiled on the Ridge. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, our national general secretary, will do the honour in the presence of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, senior Congress leaders and thousands of party workers,” he said.
Speaking to ANI, Vikramaditya Singh explained that the unveiling was initially scheduled for June 23 but was postponed indefinitely in view of the devastation caused by heavy rains and floods in Himachal Pradesh.
Also Read | PM Narendra Modi To Unveil Youth-Focused Initiatives Worth Over Rs 62,000 Crore in Delhi on October 4. “At that time, when so many lives were lost and people suffered immense damage to homes and property, we felt it would not be appropriate to hold a celebratory programme. Now that the weather has improved, the date of October 13 has been finalized after discussions with our national leadership,” Singh said.
He added that invitations have also been extended to Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Sonia Gandhi. Alongside the announcement, he appealed to tourists to return to Himachal Pradesh, stressing that conditions have stabilized after the disaster.
“There is no doubt the state suffered unprecedented damage during the monsoon over 1,600 roads were blocked at one point. But restoration work has been carried out on a war footing. Major highways are being reopened, bridges and retaining walls are being repaired, and PWD teams with men and machinery are deployed across the state,” Singh said.
“Now the weather is improving, and tourists have started returning. I appeal to visitors from Himachal, Bihar and other states please come. Himachal is safe. Boosting the state’s economy is our collective duty, and the government is committed to ensuring the safety and security of all tourists.” he added.
The minister noted that while temporary routes have been opened, major road restoration is still underway, with tenders floated for bridges, culverts and other permanent infrastructure. He confirmed that the Centre had announced a package of ₹1,500 crore for Himachal and that his department has already begun work on tendering and execution. “This was the century’s worst disaster in North India, affecting Himachal, Uttarakhand and Jammu & Kashmir. But we are determined to rebuild and take the right steps to ensure such situations do not recur in the future,” he added.
The unveiling ceremony on October 13 is expected to draw senior leaders of the Congress as well as a large public gathering in honour of Virbhadra Singh’s contribution to Himachal’s development. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)