Himachal Pradesh is seeking Rs.7 billion ($160 million) in aid from the World Bank for a project for building and maintenance of the state's roads.

The state government has submitted the project to the central government for scrutiny before it is passed on to the World Bank, said an official here.

"The project has been prepared by the Public Works Department (PWD)," he said.

"The project will, however, not cover roads already being funded by NABARD (National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development) and the prime minister's Gramin Rozgar Yojna," he said.

Building roads is an expensive and time-consuming exercise in the hill state where it is a major means of communication in the near absence of railways and flights.

Unlike in the plains, roads in the hills are more prone to wear and tear and have to be tarred after the harsh winter and the monsoon.

Less than half of around 20,000 villages in Himachal have been connected by road so far, say officials.

People can be seen walking long distances, often carrying loads up the steep hills, to reach the nearest motorable road.

Ninety percent of the state's population lives in villages. The state has a high altitude ranging from 350 m to 6,975 m. The population, according to the 1991 census, was 51,70,877 with population density being 93 people per sq km.