Motorists brave bumpy ride on Jogindernagar to Mandi stretch of NH

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, May 1

The Jogindernagar to Mandi stretch of the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway (NH) is no less than a nightmare for motorists.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has taken over the road in 2016 and since then the condition of the road has gone from bad to worse. The road needs tarring at many places as the patchwork done by the NHAI has failed to serve the purpose.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that since the NHAI has changed the alignment of the new four-lane highway, it has stopped repair and maintenance of the old stretch, which is still used by thousands of vehicles daily. It will take five years for the new road to complete.

Till date, the NHAI has not taken any major steps to repair the road. Even the debris accumulated on roadside after landslides during the last monsoon season has not been removed from several points, making such spots prone to accidents.

A Tribune team visited the road today and found long queues of vehicles at different points because of deep potholes. A senior official of the NHAI said the highways authority had already started road tarring work between Chauntra and Padhar. The remaining part of the highway will be repaired later, he added.

It was learnt that despite taking over the road no funds were allocated for its repair and maintenance by the NHAI.

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