After IIT-Delhi go-ahead, work resumes on ‘extra-high’ bridge on Shimla-Chandigarh highway

The work to construct a crucial viaduct bridge near Salogra on the Solan-Kandaghat stretch of the National Highway-5 in Himachal Pradesh will resume soon as its key technical parameters have been doubly validated by experts.

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Its work put on hold for a few months, the 120-metre-long bridge is the third viaduct bridge being built on the Parwanoo-Solan-Kaithlighat stretch of the NH-5 in the ongoing four-laning project.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is executing the work through ARIF engineers. NHAI Project Director Anand Dahiya said that since the height of its two circular piers was exceptionally high at 40 metres, the NHAI wanted to be doubly sure about its technicalities.

Though piers of 30-35 metres’ height had been constructed at other places like near TTR in Parwanoo, the height of this bridge was even higher at 40 metres.

The presence of an ancient Lord Shiva temple had deterred the acquisition of appropriate land at the site, owing to which two circular piers have been erected for the bridge. The NHAI had, therefore, sought the help of experts from its design wing as well as the Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi before proceeding with the work.

“The two-lane bridge comprised three spans and two piers. The downhill traffic from Shimla to Chandigarh will ply over it once it is completed. The uphill traffic will ply on the old highway, which would be improved once the bridge is completed,” said Dahiya.

The bridge, which will be a steel structure, will be completed within six to eight months. Two other viaduct bridges have been constructed near Parwanoo and at Patta Mor after the road was found unfit for expansion due to the presence of a sliding zone. These bridges were not part of the original design and were added later to the four-laning project, given the typical requirement of the two sites.