Tunnel on Parwanoo-Solan stretch set to be completed

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, December 15

GR Infraprojects Limited, engaged in four-laning the Parwanoo-Solan stretch of National Highway (NH)-22, has achieved a milestone by successfully constructing about 921-metre one-way tunnel on the Barog bypass.

Being an arduous and challenging task, the projects staff had to construct an additional 99 m tunnel to ensure that both ends met. The two ends were separated by a distance of barely 2.5 m and the staff expected to join the two ends within the next two days. As per the initial design this tunnel was supposed to be 825 m long but site specific issues prolonged its length. This is the lone tunnel which is being constructed on this 39-km stretch from Parwanoo to Solan.

It took one year to carve out this tunnel which extends from 91 km milestone to 99 km on the Barog bypass and culminates near Tapan Hyundai’s showroom. The finishing of this tunnel will be accomplished by June 2018, revealed Devasis Patra, Project Manager, GR Infraprojects Limited.

Patra also informed that about 4 km of newly four-laned road has been made operational out of the total of 39 km. As much as 35 per cent work has been completed. In view of the time lost in land acquisition and stay by the National Green Tribunal for a few months, the company has sought an additional time of 15 months for its completion.

The company was also demanding an additional Rs 134 crore as against the total project cost of Rs 748 crore as the retaining walls and breast walls of 1.5 m to 3 m length had failed to provide adequate protection to the excavated hill. According to an assessment made by the officials a distance of about 10.8 km in the entire road required higher retaining walls which would scale up the project cost. The issue was under the consideration of the Chairman of National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

The work which began in September 2015 was slated to be completed by March 2017 but given the plethora of impediments the NHAI was considering its case for extension. The enforcement of the model code of conduct in view of the elections in the state also added to the delay and permission for consent to operate from the State Pollution Control Board for operating a stone crusher at village Shamlech was received recently though the initial permission for consent to establish was obtained much earlier.

The project also involves construction of two railway over bridges at Sanawar and Barog bypass and a flyover at Kumarhatti which will reduce the distance by three km. Realignment of about seven km of road is further supposed to reduce the length of the road to 39 km from the present 42 km. About 21-km long service roads will also be constructed at Dharampur and Solan while a toll barrier would be erected at Sanawar.