Cracks in safeguard: Protection wall of Chakki bridge damaged in just 15 mths

Barely 15 months after its construction, a small protection wall built by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) along the Chakki rivulet in Nurpur has suffered serious damage, raising sharp questions about the quality of work executed under a Rs 100-crore project. Portions of the 100-metre-long wall have collapsed and washed away in recent floods, casting a shadow over the safety of the much larger protective structures and the interstate Chakki Bridge, a lifeline on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway (NH-154).

The Chakki bridge has already endured a turbulent past. In August 2022, relentless illegal mining in the rivulet triggered flash floods, exposing two of its crucial pillars, P1 and P2, and forcing its closure. For nearly 19 months, the bridge remained out of service for passenger and heavy vehicles alike, severely impacting cross-border traffic between Himachal Pradesh and Punjab. It was only after March 28, 2024, that passenger vehicles were allowed to use the bridge again, and finally, on June 21 last year, heavy transport vehicles resumed movement after the IIT-Roorkee experts certified the safety measures.

To stabilise the rivulet’s course and safeguard the weakened pillars, the NHAI —on the advice of a team of IIT-Roorkee engineers — constructed a check dam, a massive 335-metre-long and 12-metre-high protection wall, and the smaller wall downstream. Together, these interventions were designed to redirect flood currents, prevent erosion and shield the bridge from future damage. But the early failure of the smaller wall has now rekindled fears that the entire protection system may be vulnerable.

Experts warn that the breach in the smaller structure could act as an entry point for strong flood currents, potentially threatening the larger wall and even the check dam in the days ahead. “If one element of a system fails, the entire chain of protection is at risk,” said an engineer familiar with rivulet dynamics, adding that monsoon-induced floods could severely test the endurance of the larger wall.

This is not the first time NHAI’s efforts have faltered at the Chakki site. Earlier attempts to secure the bridge pillars using cement garlanding were washed away within months, forcing the agency to seek IIT-Roorkee’s intervention. That history, coupled with the present setback, has deepened concerns about the efficacy of the Rs 100-crore safeguard project.

However, NHAI officials remain confident. “The damage to the small protection wall poses no threat to the larger wall or the check dam,” said Vikas Surajewala, Project Director, NHAI Palampur. He assured that the washed-out sections will be repaired once the monsoon subsides.

Yet, for residents, commuters and traders who rely daily on the interstate bridge, the sight of the crumbling wall serves as a grim reminder of the fragile balance between human engineering and the unpredictable force of Himalayan rivers. With stakes so high, the durability of these protective measures remains under intense public scrutiny.