Beas bridge on Manali-Leh road opened

Tribune News Service

Mandi, December 8

Mohan Lal, Additional Director-General of the Border Roads Organisation, inaugurated the Beas bridge, 33-km from Manali on the Leh highway on Saturday. It has been constructed at a cost of Rs 6 crore.

Mohan Lal said the construction of the bridge was part of upgrading the Manali-Sarchu road. This road connected the remote district of Lahaul-Spiti and facilitated thousands of Leh-bound tourists.

“Seven more bridges from Manali to Sarchu are at the advance stages of construction and the BRO is trying its best to get all these bridges completed. The BRO will continue to do its best to augment road infrastructure in spite of difficult terrain and availability of very limited working season being a high altitude area. The widening of the road to double lane is in progress at a few left-over stretches and continuous endeavour is being made to complete these stretches on priority” he remarked.

Appreciating the work of BRO officials, he said this year, the BRO had done exceptional work by opening the Manali-Sarchu road, including Baralacha Pass (16,350 ft) and Rohtang Pass thrice, specially, after unexpected rain and untimely snowfall in September.

“The rain had caused floods and triggered avalanches, which stranded 4,000 tourists and locals in Lahaul-Spiti for days in September. The BRO had restored the road in a short time, despite freezing temperature in the region to rescue all stranded people safely out of the district” he added.