Former MLA Ravi Thakur said on Friday that the proposed visit of Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda to Lahaul-Spiti tomorrow had been postponed due to adverse weather conditions. He added that the visit was scheduled to include the foundation stone laying ceremony for the proposed ICMR Centre for High Altitude Medicine and Public Health at Keylong, a project estimated to cost around Rs 35 crore. The institute is expected to strengthen medical research and healthcare services in high-altitude regions.

"The visit has been postponed due to continuous heavy rainfall, landslides and damage to roads, making travel unsafe in the region. According to the Union Health Ministry, the minister's visit will now be rescheduled before September and the foundation stone laying ceremony for the ICMR project will be held during the revised tour," he added.

Thakur said that Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur and BJP state president Rajeev Bindal were also expected to accompany Nadda during the visit. He added that the ICMR centre would not only benefit Lahaul-Spiti but also the entire Himalayan region by promoting advanced research on high-altitude medicine and public health. The facility was expected to improve healthcare infrastructure while serving local residents, defence personnel stationed in high-altitude areas and tourists visiting the region, he added.

He expressed hope that a fresh date would be announced once weather conditions improve and appealed to residents to continue supporting the project, which was a milestone for healthcare and the overall development of the district.