Chakki bridge closed, link road damaged due to heavy traffic

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, September 5

After the closure of the interstate Chakki bridge at Kandwal in Nurpur after exposure of its two pillars (P1 and P2) in August last year following heavy rain, the traffic had been diverted through the Kandwal-Lodwan-Pathankot link road.

Rs 11.50-cr estimate prepared, Proposal submitted

• The PWD has reportedly prepared an estimate of Rs 11.50 crore for the repair and strengthening of the 12-km road stretch of the Kandwal-Lodhwan-Pathankot link road
• It has submitted the proposal to the regional office of the NHAI, Shimla, for repair and strengthening of the road, but the NHAI has not respond to the proposal so far

This Kandwal-Lodwal route is a district road, which is not designed to bear the burden of loaded commercial vehicles. Plying of loaded vehicles has badly damaged the road that has developed deep potholes within one year.

Plying of vehicles on the road, especially during night hours, has become risky due to its bad condition. Commuters using two-wheelers and light vehicles are the worst-sufferers. The NHAI had closed the bridge for traffic movement two months ago.

The NHAI has been carrying out repair and protection work through its construction company to save the eroding pillars for the past one year. As per information, the bridge pillars have 25-m foundation beneath the Chakki riverbed out of which around 14-m portion has been exposed due to flashfloods over the past one year.

Inquires reveal that the PWD has prepared an estimate of Rs 11.50 crore for the repair and strengthening of the 12-km road stretch of the Kandwal-Lodhwan-Pathankot link road and submitted the proposal to the regional office of the NHAI at Shimla in that regard. However, the NHAI has not responded to the proposal.

Ravi Bhushan, officiating Executive Engineer, PWD division, Indora, said the department had initially submitted an expenditure estimate of Rs 11.50 crore for the repair and strengthening of the major district road in October to the NHAI authorities, but the NHAI had not responded to the proposal. He admitted that this major district road was deteriorating day by day due to plying of heavy vehicles and was in need of immediate repair and maintenance.