Rolling boulders threat on Solan NH

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, June 24

The season’s first downpour today put a question mark on the quality of the four-laning work as boulders fell on the entire excavated stretch from Parwanoo to Solan, making driving a risky affair.

Occupants of a car had a narrow escape when boulders injured a child. Muck fell on another car near Sanwara while a portion of the car was damaged.

Even trees, which hung precariously on the exposed hill, added to the risk of motorists. The slushy roads fraught with potholes made the situation worse in the rain.

Water was seen flowing on the road in the absence of drains. A huge quantity of muck was seen flowing down from the hills, especially from Dosarka to Kumarhatti, where the maximum excavation work was under way.

The road leading to Dagshai from Dosarka, which was repaired after the excavation work, has started wearing away. Huge quantities of water and muck was seen flowing down from the breast walls raised by the highway staff. This will weaken the road.

Though the staff of GR Infraprojects, which was four-laning the highway, was available on the spot to clear the road, they could do little to prevent the falling boulders. Vehicles moved at a snail’s pace throughout the day on the highway due to slides.

Ajay Kumar, who was on the way to Solan from Dharampur, said, “It has become risky to drive on the highway as one sees the boulders falling all along the road and the fear of being hit looms large. This highway is not fit for commuting in the rains as the exposed hill is an invitation to accidents.”

With little alternative available for commuters, they were virtually at risk, more so at night when even the trailing boulders would not be visible.

The low breast walls were unable to act as protection walls to check erosion and it was lamentable that the NHAI had failed to take note of this shortcoming. Though GR infraprojects had sought an additional budget to raise higher walls, their plea has failed to be heard. With more than 70 per cent work having been completed, such low walls will continue to make the highway risky.

Slushy roads make driving a nightmare

• Occupants of a car had a narrow escape when boulders injured a child
• Muck fell on another car near Sanwara while a portion of the car was damaged.
• Even trees, which hung precariously on the exposed hill, added to the risk of motorists
• The slushy roads fraught with potholes made the situation worse in the rain