Lives on the edge: Makeshift road replaces collapsed bridge in Seraj

The scars of the devastating natural disaster that struck Mandi district a few months ago refuse to heal, as the region continues to grapple with the aftermath. Lives remain disrupted, infrastructure lies in ruins and residents are forced to take perilous risks to meet their daily needs.

A near-tragic accident yesterday underscored the continuing crisis in the Seraj Assembly constituency, under the Pandoh Dam catchment area. The Baakhli Khad bridge, destroyed during the monsoon calamity, had yet to be rebuilt, leaving the entire area cut off for months. With rains subsiding and water levels decreasing, locals had constructed a makeshift road through the khad (stream) to allow vehicles to move again.

However, this temporary solution turned dangerous when a taxi (HP 01-M 4789) carrying eight passengers overturned in the middle of the stream while attempting to cross the improvised route beneath the collapsed Baakhli bridge. Fortunately, all eight passengers escaped without injury.

Eyewitnesses said the vehicle first tilted to one side before slowly sinking into the water. Hearing the passengers’ screams, nearby residents rushed to the scene and rescued everyone from the partially submerged vehicle.

According to local accounts, the newly formed road, built under the submerged area of the Pandoh Dam reservoir, had become unsafe after water levels rose again. Despite this, large vehicles like buses and tippers were still using the route. The makeshift path had been constructed by local villagers and the Mata Baglamukhi Temple Committee, anticipating that the water level in the Pandoh reservoir would remain low between November and March.

Public Works Department (PWD) Executive Engineer Vinod Kumar expressed concern over the incident but clarified that the road was locally built for temporary use and not under the department’s jurisdiction. “The department cannot be held responsible for such accidents,” he said.

He said a DPR of bridge costing Rs 30 crore has been sent to the state government for funds approval. As soon as funds are approved, the construction work of bridge will be commenced soon.

Even after nearly 100 days since the monsoon disaster, the Pandoh-Sarachi road, from Baakhli bridge to Kuklah, remains severely damaged. Efforts to clear the debris have been hindered by fears of landslides, as the surrounding hillside has begun to sink, threatening nearly 18–20 homes in the area. Locals have thus opposed clearance work, forcing them to rely on their self-constructed alternative road through the khad, which had only been in use for five days before the accident occurred.

According to sources in the BBMB, a technical fault at the Dehar Power House turbine had led to the release of excess water into the Beas, causing the Baakhli stretch to remain submerged.

The accident once again highlights the precarious conditions residents of the disaster-hit Mandi district are living in and the urgent need for authorities to restore official road connectivity before another tragedy strikes.

Ground reality

• The Baakhli Khad bridge, destroyed in monsoon floods, is yet to be rebuilt
• Locals created a temporary road through the Pandoh Dam reservoir bed to restore access
• A taxi (HP 01-M 4789) with eight passengers overturned while crossing — all survived
• The PWD says the road was built locally and isn’t under its jurisdiction

Can’t hold dept responsible

"The department cannot be held responsible for locally made roads. Funds have been sought for the bridge. A DPR of bridge costing Rs 30 crore has been sent to the state government for fund approval," Vinod Kumar, Executive Engineer, PWD