Himachal Pradesh government on Tuesday urged the Centre to declare five existing road stretches in the state as National Highways to help strengthen the network in rural areas, which are emerging as new hubs for growing cash crops and fruits. State’s Public Works Minister Gulab Singh Thakur called on Union Surface Transport minister CP Joshi in New Delhi and urged him to declare Hamirpur-Palampur-Sujanpur, Brahmpukhar-Bilaspur-Ghumarwin-Sarkaghat-Ladbharol-Baijnath, Pathankot-Dalhousie-Chamba-Bharmour, Taradevi-Jubarhatti-Kunihar-Ramshahar-Nalagarh-Ghamouli, and Chandigarh-Pokhar-Nalagarh-Ramshahar-Arki-Shalaghat roads as National Highways. Thakur informed the Transport Minister that the Centre had earlier approved in principal to declare the five roads as National Highways. However a formal notification has not been issued. He urged the Union minister to expedite the process so that funds for these roads could be released immediately. The PWD minister also sought financial assistance for construction of by-pass roads at Jogindernagar, Sundernagar and Theog to divert the traffic and de-congest the cities. A detailed project report on these by-passes had been pending with the ministry for final approval.