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Fuel prices surge in Himachal as bitumen doubles, leaving contractors idle and construction targets at risk
Economy
Published on 16 May 2026
Bitumen prices doubled, and contractors reportedly stopped work
Himachal Pradesh PWD minister Vikramaditya Singh warned that rising petrol and diesel prices are driving inflation across sectors, raising transportation costs for essentials like vegetables, milk and edible oils. He said road construction has stalled in peak tarring season because bitumen prices have doubled, with contractors reportedly not working despite targets of 500–600 km. Singh urged the Centre to intervene amid global uncertainties and also flagged urban waste and untreated sewage entering the Beas river.
- Singh links petrol and diesel hikes to widespread inflationary pressure
- Essential items like vegetables, milk and edible oils face higher logistics costs
- Road tarring season hit as bitumen prices reportedly doubled
- PWD aims for 500 to 600 km of tarring, but contractors are staying idle
- Urban plans: proposals worth Rs 5,400 crore submitted, Rs 1,200 crore approved
- Untreated sewage reportedly enters the Beas river, raising downstream health risks
Read the full story at The Economic Times
This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on 
The Economic Times