Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda’s Lahaul-Spiti Visit Postponed Due to Adverse Weather; ICMR High-Altitude Centre Foundation Deferred.

Shimla:

The scheduled visit of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J.P. Nadda to Lahaul-Spiti on July 11 has been postponed due to adverse weather conditions, according to former MLA and BJP State Executive Committee member Ravi Thakur.

Nadda was slated to lay the foundation stone for the proposed ICMR–Centre for High Altitude Medicine & Public Health in Keylong, a project estimated to cost around Rs. 35 crore. The centre is expected to strengthen medical research and public health services in high-altitude regions.

Thakur said the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare decided to defer the visit following continuous heavy rainfall, landslides, and extensive damage to road connectivity across the district, making travel unsafe. As per information received from the ministry, the visit will be rescheduled before September, and the foundation-laying ceremony for the ICMR project will be held during the revised tour.

He added that Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and BJP Himachal Pradesh president Dr. Rajeev Bindal were also scheduled to accompany the Union Minister during the visit.

Describing the project as a landmark initiative, Thakur said the ICMR centre would benefit not only Lahaul-Spiti but the entire Himalayan region by promoting research on high-altitude medicine, improving healthcare infrastructure, and supporting local residents, defence personnel, and tourists.

He appealed to residents to continue supporting the ambitious project, expressing confidence that the institution would become a milestone in the development of Lahaul-Spiti and significantly enhance healthcare services in the region. Thakur said a fresh date will be announced once weather conditions improve.