Incomplete culverts, missing safety walls plague Ranital-Nadaun stretch

The slow progress of bridge and culvert construction on the Kangra-Shimla two-lane highway between Ranital and Nadaun has become a major concern for villagers and daily commuters. Despite the widening of most parts of the highway, the stretch remains unmetalled, adding to the inconvenience of travel, especially during the monsoon season.

This portion of the road passes through three Assembly constituencies—Dehra, Jwalamukhi and Nagrota Bagwan. Local MLAs Raghubir Singh Bali, Kamlesh Thakur and Sanjay Rattan have raised serious concerns over the delay in construction and the negligence of the affected villagers’ safety. They have urged the top officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to immediately construct protection walls to safeguard homes now at risk due to the ongoing highway work.

Locals have also complained about the lack of basic safety measures. With the monsoon rains in full swing, houses near the construction zones face an increased risk of damage or collapse. The incomplete construction of culverts on the Jwalamukhi bypass and other sections between Ranital and Nadaun has left behind large potholes, which rarely get filled, posing serious safety hazards.

The Ranital-Nadaun stretch is part of a critical 225-km highway aimed at connecting six lower hill districts to Shimla. The project includes nine tunnels and four high-rise bridges, bypassing major towns such as Darlaghat, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Jwalamukhi. Once completed, it will cut travel time from Kangra to Shimla by two hours, reduce fuel use and improve safety by eliminating sharp curves. However, unless construction is expedited and safety measures are implemented, the promised benefits remain a distant goal.