HC seeks details of maintenance cost of Dehra Gopipur bridge

The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed the state government to file a fresh affidavit detailing the estimated cost required for the maintenance of old bridge at Dehra Gopipur in Kangra district.

During the course of hearing, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Jiya Lal Bhardwaj took on record an affidavit filed by the Chief Engineer, National Highway, HPPWD, which revealed that the consultant cost alone for carrying out the safety audit of the bridge is estimated at Rs 1.23 crore. The affidavit further stated that the cost of maintenance would be assessed separately, and the work would be assigned thereafter.

It was also disclosed that there''s a proposal for the construction of a new bridge, for which the financial bids have been opened and the L-1 bidder determined. However, the court noted that the proposal for the new bridge is still at a nascent stage, as only the technical bid was opened on March 11.

Observing that “the Dehra Gopipur bridge is a lifeline for the region and the main connectivity with the plains, the Bench emphasised that the bridge, which was constructed by the Government of Punjab in April 1962, continues to serve as a crucial link".

The court further opined that, at this stage, the funds proposed for the safety audit should at least be utilised for maintenance of the existing bridge to ensure proper use of public money.

The matter was taken up following an issue raised by The Tribune concerning the deteriorating condition of the bridge. In the wake of the circumstances, the high court directed the state to file another affidavit explaining the estimated maintenance cost of the old bridge, keeping in mind that the new bridge project is still at a preliminary stage. The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 27, 2026.