Damage in Kangra, Chamba put at Rs 240 cr

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 27

Rain damage in Kangra and Chamba has been put at Rs 240 crore. The damage caused to roads and other PWD infrastructure in Chamba district has increased from Rs 80 crore to Rs 117 crore. In Kangra district, the losses have gone up to Rs 123 crore.

The Chief Engineer, PWD, said the maximum damage had been done to roads due to landslides. The Bhatiyat region of Chamba district and the road from Kakira to Lahru had suffered massive damage to due to landslides.

“Last year, we had to realign 800 m roads in the region. In Bharmour, we have permanently put earthmoving machines in place. In Tissa, some interior roads have been blocked due to landslides. In Kangra, the maximum damage was caused to rural roads,” he said.

Two major roads linking Kangra with other parts of the state and adjoining states, including the Pathankot-Kangra-Mandi road and Mataour-Shimla road, have been handed over to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). These roads are being four-laned. Consultant, NHAI, SK Nag said the rain had caused Rs 20-crore damage to the Pathankot-Kangra-Mandi highway last week. He said damage to the Matour-Shimla road was being assessed.

“The budget for the repair of Pathankot-Kangra-Mandi highway has been received and it will be repaired. However, the Matour-Shimla highway has been handed over to the NHAI. Its land acquisition is still going on. The repairs will be carried out by contractors who had constructed the road,” Nag said.

The road from Matour to Dharamsala, that was to be double-laned, has been handed over to the National Highways Department. It had caved in at some places, but no efforts were made to repair it, the consultant said.

General secretary of the Hotel Association, Dharamsala, Sanjeev Gandhi said since there was no rail connectivity, most tourists came by road. If the roads were not repaired, tourist inflow would be affected, he said.