Baddi link snapped, NHAI mulls Bailey bridge to restore traffic

Ambika Sharma

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Solan, August 25

With the crucial Balad bridge at Marrawala connecting Baddi to Pinjore been damaged, the possibility of constructing a Bailey bridge by the PWD was being explored.

The bridge connects the state’s industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) to Chandigarh and its surrounding areas. Thousands of industry workers and staff use it daily to commute to their workplace.

Suffered damage earlier this week

• One pier of the bridge had been washed away two days ago. It had bent in the middle following a spell of heavy rain.
• Following this, the bridge was closed for vehicular traffic as well as foot movement as cracks had appeared on its surface.
• A joint inspection is being carried out by the officials of the mechanical wing of the PWD and NHAI to explore the possibility of constructing a Bailey bridge over Balad river in Baddi.

Three piers of the bridge were washed away this morning after huge quantity of water inundated the riverbed from an adjoining nullah. Erosion of land in the nearby villages had obstructed the normal flow of water in the Balad khud after heavy rains last night. Three piers of the bridge were washed away after the obstructed water was let out and huge quantities of water inundated the riverbed.

One pier of the bridge had been washed away two days ago and it had bent in the middle following a spell of heavy rain. Following this, the bridge was closed for vehicular traffic as well as foot movement as cracks had appeared on its surface.

Manmohan Sharma, DC, Solan, informed that, “A joint inspection is being carried out by the officials of the mechanical wing of the PWD and NHAI today to explore the possibility of constructing a Bailey bridge over Balad river in Baddi. This bridge can be constructed within weeks.”

The NHAI is four-laning the Baddi-Nalagarh section of the highway and a new two-lane bridge was supposed to be constructed in March next year as part of the project.

“The possibility of laying this bridge is being explored by the NHAI and the state PWD through a joint inspection of the area following a suggestion by the DC Solan,” said Anand Dhaiya, Project Director, NHAI.

Commuters travelling from Pinjore to Baddi have been directed by the traffic police at Baddi to use the Kalka-Kalujhinda-Barotiwala route as a temporary approach road to the bridge, constructed yesterday, was also washed away this morning following heavy rain.

With nearly 90 per cent of the state’s industry being housed in this cluster, the restoration of the vehicular traffic was a major priority of the state government. Thousands of vehicles carrying industrial goods comprising raw material and finished goods daily use this bridge.