Kalka-Shimla National Highway opened to traffic after 13 hours

Tribune News Service
Solan, May 26

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The Parwanoo-Solan section of the Kalka-Shimla National Highway No. 5 was on Sunday thrown open to traffic after remaining closed for 13 hours due to excavation of a hill near Sanwara.

The highway was closed on Saturday night for repair work. It was earlier scheduled to open at 4 am.

The highway was closed for vehicular traffic due to the removal of big dangerous rocks hanging on hill near Sanwara (Dharampur) in Solan district. 

With the peak tourist season being under way, the Garkhal junction faced a heavy influx of vehicles. The traffic emanating from Chandigarh was diverted through the Parwanoo-Jangeshu road and the scant traffic staff faced a Harculean task in ensuring smooth movement of the vehicles.

Being a weekend, there was a huge inflow of tourist vehicles. The buses and trucks coming from Shimla were diverted through the Kumarhatti-Nahan road.

A section of the Kalka-Shimla rail track was also damaged near Sanwara after boulders fell on it two days ago.

Earlier on Saturday, Solan Deputy Commissioner Vinod Kumar visited the spot and took stock of the situation.

He said GR Infraprojects, which was undertaking its four-laning, had assured to complete the excavation work at the said site within a day if the traffic was put on hold.