Trans-Giri area cut off as road caves in

Tribune News Service

Solan,October 6

A major part of the trans-Giri area in Sirmaur district was cut off as about 200-metre portion of the Paonta Sahib-Shillai-Hatkoti National Highway caved in near Sataun bridge around 11 am today.

The road is used by commuters travelling from Kupvi, Nerwa and Chopal of Shimla to Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The commuters were compelled to either travel through the Giri river from Sataun or use a detour from Shillai, which was very far. It created hardships for the people as it was a busy road used by hundreds of commuters from the trans-Giri area to reach the other areas of the district.

Local residents said the road had caved in earlier too in 2002 and remained closed for several days. Arterial roads like Sarra-Malgi road were being used to commute to Sataun and Paonta Sahib which were at least 15-km longer.

PWD officials were taking stock of the situation. Deputy Commissioner Dr RK Pruthi said efforts were afoot to open the road for smaller vehicles initially.

The DC added that a team of officials from the PWD, district administration and other departments would visit the site tomorrow. As per initial estimates, it would take a week to restore the road which had suffered immense damage.

‘Repair in 7 days’

Efforts are on to open the road for smaller vehicles initially. A team of officials from the PWD, district administration and other departments will visit the site on Monday to take stock of the situation and it may take up to a week to repair the damage. —Dr RK Pruthi, Deputy Commissioner