Portion of Parwanoo-Solan stretch caves in

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 24

With a 40-m stretch of the Parwanoo-Solan road of National Highway NH-22 caving in near Datiyar following heavy rain on Monday afternoon, questions are being raised on the quality of construction material being used in the fourlaning work.

Cracks had appeared on the road in the day and the GR Infraprojects staff, executing the four-laning work, had to make a hasty exit from the spot when the road started caving in.

Though the staff were assessing the damage caused to the surface, the abrupt sinking of the road took them by surprise. The cracks are spreading further and travelling has become risky on the national highway, which connects the state with Haryana.

“The road has been widened from the valley side by raising 12 to 15 m retaining walls using fine wire mesh, but the sudden gush of water from below eroded a sizeable portion of its foundation,” said Debasis Patra, project incharge, GR Infraprojects.

He said it would take them a few days to repair the damaged portion as deeper foundation, which was at least three times the usual depth, would have to be laid to strengthen the road.

He said incessant rain had caused losses worth Rs 2 crore as debris had eroded from the excavated hill all along the highway.

Patra said at least 20 machines and additional staff had been deputed for immediate clearance of the entire highway and the affected road had been opened for traffic by clearing the lane abutting the hill side.

Geological experts, however, said the National Highways Authority of India should take into account whether the climatic data of a site had been incorporated while devising engineering structures and if the approved structures were being constructed by the trained staff. Any laxity could cost commuters dear. A sizeable portion of the four-laned road near Jabli had caved in a few days ago. The cost of the project is likely to go up by several crores as nearly 3.5 lakh cubic metre debris has eroded this year.

Parwanoo Deputy Superintendent of Police Ajay Rana said police personnel had been deployed at the site to regulate traffic.

Cracks spreading 

• Cracks appeared on the road in the day and GR Infraprojects staff, executing the four-laning work, had to make a hasty exit  from the spot when the road started caving in.
• Though the staff are assessing the damage caused to the surface, the abrupt sinking of the road took them by surprise. The cracks  are  spreading further and travelling has become risky on the national highway, which connects the state with Haryana.