Gramphu-Kaza highway thrown open after a month

Tribune News Service

Dipender Manta

Mandi, August 10

The BRO yesterday restored Gramphu-Kaza highway for the movement of heavy vehicles in the tribal district of Lahaul and Spiti after a gap of almost one month. This highway is strategically important as it provides road connectivity from the Manali and Leh side to Spiti region close to the China border.

HRTC service to resume today

• Massive damage had occurred to this highway between Losar and Gramphu due to torrential rain from July 7 to 11
• This highway witnessed 47 water streams on this road stretch, where at 20 places the road was washed away completely
• With the restoration of this highway, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will resume its bus service on the Gramphu-Kaza highway on August 11

According to BRO officials, due to heavy rain between July 7 and 11, massive damage had occurred to this highway between Losar and Gramphu. This highway witnessed 47 water streams on this road stretch, where at 20 places the road was washed away completely. As a result, it was a challenging task for the BRO to restore this highway to normal traffic.

“The BRO engaged 30 labourers and six machine operators along with machines to restore this highway. They worked 15 hours a day from July 12 to 31 relentlessly and restored this highway for the movement of light vehicles on July 31. Thereafter, the BRO started widening work of the highway to reopen it for heavy vehicles. The highway was restored for heavy vehicles yesterday. The district administration has been informed about the road condition by the BRO,” said a BRO official.

He said that the road stretch from Losar to Gramphu on this highway is ‘kacha’, where construction work is underway to widen it and make it ‘pakka’ to ensure smooth traffic movement.

With the restoration of this highway, the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) will resume its bus service on the Gramphu-Kaza highway on August 11.

#Lahaul and Spiti #Mandi