Shimla-Kangra road closed for Bailey bridge removal

Dinesh Kanwar

Hamirpur, February 9

The Shimla-Hamirpur-Kangra National Highway (NH-88) will remain closed for the next two days due to the removal of a Bailey bridge on Kunah Khud near Bhota.

The NH authorities will remove the bridge that was constructed over the stream two years ago as its foundation was washed away in the monsoon season of 2012.

Sources said the foundation was repaired a year ago but it did not support the bridge. It is learnt that the removal of the bridge was deferred due to security issues.

The NH authorities took the task to repair and reinforce the eastern abutment of the bridge which was completed a month ago but still the bridge was not removed.

Notably, steel plates fixed on the Bailey bridge had loosened and many two-wheeler riders were injured in accidents due to the poor maintenance of the steel structure of the bridge.

Finally, the NH authorities have begun the task of removing the bridge. It will take two days for the task to be completed.

Meanwhile, traffic on the NH between Didwin Tikkar village and Bhota has been suspended and diverted via Tal village.

HL Sharma, Executive Engineer of the NH division here, said the old bridge on the Kunah Khud had been reinforced and would be opened for traffic in two days.

He said the tender for the construction of a new bridge at the same location would be floated soon.