Centre okays Rs 400 crore for retaining walls along Beas to protect Kullu-Manali road

The Union Government has approved an Rs 400-crore project to safeguard the Kullu-Manali National Highway from recurrent damage caused by floods by adopting advanced dam-strengthening techniques along vulnerable stretches of the Beas. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) will construct counterfort RCC retaining walls, a technology typically used in dams, at 12 identified locations between Kullu and Manali to protect the carriageway from erosion and collapse during high-intensity floods.

A key feature of the project is the installation of safety walls three metres below the riverbed level to ensure that the structure remains embedded beneath the flowing waters of the Beas. Besides, the road itself will be raised by 5 metres to 7 metres to provide greater resilience against floods. Officials concerned say that tenders for the works will be opened shortly, paving the way for construction to begin in a month.

The highway, which suffered extensive damage during the monsoon season in 2023 and again this year, lost its alignment at several points, forcing the NHAI to open temporary routes to restore traffic movement. Despite these measures, the current stretch of the highway remains vulnerable to the rising river flow. The project also aims to safeguard residential areas located close to the highway and a detailed project report (DPR) has been prepared after an analysis of the Beas’ discharge capacity and flood history over the past century.

According to NHAI Project Director Varun Chari, the plan has received the final approval and tendering will be completed within this month, following which the construction work will commence. Depending on the location, both conventional RCC and counterfort RCC retaining walls will be built to protect slopes and the road surface.

Counterforts, which are triangular structural pillars, provide resistance against lateral pressure and are specifically designed to withstand soil and water forces and prevent retaining walls from collapsing. The proposed construction sites include Raison, two points at Patlikul, Bindu Dhank, 17 Mile bridge, green tax barrier, Aloo Ground, two locations at Baran, near the toll plaza at Dohlunala and the stretch from the Volvo bus stand up to the Bhootnath bridge in Manali.

Three months ago, portions of the right-bank Kullu-Manali highway were washed away in severe floods, particularly at Dohlunala, Raison, 14 Mile, 16 Mile, 17 Mile, Bindu Dhank, Klath and Aloo Ground. Traffic to Manali remained suspended from the right bank side for nearly two weeks until NHAI teams restored temporary connectivity. The agency has since levelled the affected patches of the highway and will soon begin black-topping it to fully restore smooth traffic movement.

Meanwhile, the repair work on the damaged sections of the Kullu-Bhuntar right-bank road has also begun. The Public Works Department (PWD) has allocated Rs 1 crore for the repair of washed-away road stretches near Ramshila. Executive Engineer (PWD) BC Negi says that the work to strengthen and widen the road is underway. Once completed, the widened road will ease daily travel for thousands of commuters from Kullu, Kharahal, Bhekhli and Manali.