Travel risky as road to Kasauli caves in

Tribune News Service
Solan, August 1

With a major portion of the Sukijori-Sanawar main district road en route Kasauli having caved in near the PWD guest house, commuting on this road has become risky.

The road had started giving way years ago after reckless excavation had been undertaken at its base by a private builder. The contractor entrusted the task of repairing this road has failed to undertake the required steps to strengthen it. Though crate wire structures were raised to buttress the caved in portion, it failed to withstand the pressure in the ongoing rains, putting a question mark over the quality of the work executed.

The entire crate wire structure, which lacked enough strength, has collapsed leaving the road vulnerable to accidents. With the width of the road been reduced sizeably, only a small portion is left intact where only small vehicles can ply.

The road is used by trucks carrying heavy load. Motorists using the road at night are at a higher risk. More damage was inevitable in the ongoing rainy season as the caved in portion of the road was further giving way.

The carelessness of the field staff in undertaking timely repair of this vulnerable portion has worsened its condition though labourers had been pressed into service by the department to stop the seepage of water.

“The road should be immediately closed for traffic as it could lead to major accidents. I barely managed to cross it in my pick-up utility vehicle which was carrying heavy load”, rued Manish Kumar, a driver, who added that the condition of the road was worsening with each passing day.

Executive Engineer, PWD, Rajesh Kumar, said the contractor entrusted the task to maintain and repair this road has been directed to take immediate measures to repair it by erecting deep-rooted solid crate wires. He said in a bid to contain further damage the seepage of water has been stopped and a provision to construct a breast wall to buttress it from below would also be undertaken in the near future.

He said a signboard stating that the road was closed for heavy vehicles has also been erected at the site and efforts were afoot to initiate immediate repair work.

This was among the three roads for which funds worth crores had been provided by the National Highways Authority of India to strengthen and repair the three link roads in 2017.

Contractor told to take remedial measures

Executive Engineer, PWD, Rajesh Kumar, said the contractor entrusted the task to maintain and repair this road has been directed to take immediate measures to repair it by erecting deep-rooted solid crate wires. He said in a bid to contain further damage the seepage of water has been stopped and a provision to construct a breast wall to buttress it from below would also be undertaken in the near future.