Kullu-Manali NH not fully repaired even nine months after rain calamity

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, April 6

The residents of Kullu and Manali are complaining that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has not fully repaired the damaged portions of the Kullu-Manali National Highway-3 even after the passage of nine months. Heavy rain and flashfloods in Himachal Pradesh last year had wreaked havoc on infrastructure in the state, particularly in Mandi and Kullu districts.

Local residents rue that commuters are finding it difficult to negotiate their way through the partially-repaired portions of the road, says Gopal, a resident of Manali Gaon.

Work being done at snail’s pace

The repair work on the damaged highway stretch near Raison is being done at a snail’s pace. The repaired section of the highway near the Patlikul bridge has again started giving way. —Sumesh, resident of patlikul

Job to be over by April-end

Most of the repair work on the highway has been done and only the damaged stretch near Raison remains, which will be accomplished by the end of this month. —Ashok Chauhan, Regional engineer, NHAI, Kullu

Harish, another resident of Manali city, says, “The portion from the Manali Volvo Bus Stand to the Aleo ground has temporarily been repaired and vehicular movement is largely confined to single lane, leading to traffic chaos. The zero point on the Kanyal road has become very risky and damaged road stretches in Kalath have also not been repaired.”

Another resident Sumesh of Patlikul says, “The repair work on the damaged stretch near Raison is being done at a snail’s pace. The repair work carried out near the Patlikul bridge has again started giving way.” However, NHAI Regional Engineer, Kullu, Ashok Chauhan claims, “Most of the repair work has been done and only the damaged stretch near Raison remains, which will be accomplished by the end of this month”.

The Kullu-Manali National Highway, which was damaged due to incessant rains and flashfloods in the Beas on July 9 last year, was temporarily restored to double lane vehicular movement after about two and a half months. The traffic beyond Patlikul was restored via the left bank after three days of the calamity and the highway on the right bank was temporarily restored for one-way traffic within five days of the rain fury.

Later, repair work was started in 12 different damaged stretches of the highway measuring about 3,200 mt cumulatively. Seeing the delay in repair work, even locals have rendered assistance by voluntarily working as labour.

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari during a visit on August 1 had said that technical studies would be carried out for long-term planning to avert such devastation in future and a new detailed project report (DPR) would be prepared for complete restoration.

On August 29, Santosh Kumar Yadav, Chairman, NHAI, had stated that the road would be repaired on priority. The NHAI had said that the tarring of the damaged roads would be completed by October 15 but some parts of the damaged highway still to be repaired.

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