BRO gears up to complete work on crucial Koksar bridges

Dipender Manta

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Tribune News Service

Mandi, August 25

Sensing the urgent need for a bridge at Koksar to facilitate smooth flow of traffic on the Manali-Leh highway via Rohtang pass, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is undertaking work on a war footing to complete the construction of two bridges.

Talking to The Tribune here today, BRO Commander Col KP Rajendra said that at present there is a Bailey bridge at Koksar, but it is unable to bear heavy load of vehicles. Importantly, all supplies to the Army personnel deputed on the border areas in Leh-Ladakh are sent from this strategically important route.

The two bridges of 70-meter and 30-meter span are to be constructed at Koksar on Chandra river in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti.

“We are making all-out efforts to complete the two bridges connecting Manali and Leh highway. This is essential in view of the route being used for Army supplies to border areas,” he said, adding that almost half the work has been completed. He was hopeful that these would be thrown open for traffic this year.

The bridges will greatly benefit the locals in ferrying the agriculture and horticulture produce to markets.

The condition of the Manali-Leh highway is bad at several places between the Rohtang Pass and Baralacha La, linking the state to the neighboring state of Jammu and Kashmir.

Col Rajendra stated that each year during snow clearance work on Manali-Leh highway, the roads get damaged as heavy machinery is used. The 13,050-feet high Rohtang Pass receives heavy snow fall during winters, bringing to halt all vehicular movement to Lahaul and Spiti.

The Manali-Leh highway passes through some of the highest mountain passes of the world which start experiencing heavy snowfall right from October. Though Tanglang Pass at 17,480 feet is the highest pass on Manali-Leh route, Rohtang Pass at 13,050 feet and Baralacha Pass at 16,050 feet receive more snowfall, sometime more than 50 feet, which results in the highway remaining blocked for a major part of the year.