Nadaun-Jwalamukhi Bhangwar stretch nears completion

The construction work of one part of the Shimla-Kangra four-lane project between Nadaun and Bhangwar (Rantial Kangra) is in the final stage.

The road is likely to be operational by the end 2025. The widening of the highway has already been completed between Nadaun and Bhangwar. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is on track to complete the Nadaun Bhangwar stretch of the Shimla-Kangra four-lane highway project, spanning from Nadaun-Jwalamukhi and Bhangwar. Currently, over 60 per cent of this section is complete, featuring several key infrastructure developments, including a major bridge over the Balugolava khud and a dozen smaller bridges.

The NHAI sources told The Tribune that the construction of a double-lane bridge over the Beas at Nadaun is in full swing (see pictures). The NHAI has been making all efforts to make the strategic bridge operational before the onset of the rainy season when water level goes up. The concrete pillars of bridge in river beds have already been laid, now the NHAI will start laying slabs.

This section’s highway expansion required significant hillside cutting, which is now finished. Additionally, the construction of the Jwalamukhi bypass is in the final stage, The construction of the 225-km Shimla Kangra highway project has been divided into five packages. The project, when completed, will reduce the distance by 45 km (from 225 km to 180 km).

“The road between Shimla and Kangra will have nine tunnels and four high-rise bridges. It will bypass major towns like Darlaghat, Bilaspur, Hamirpur and Jwalamukhi. The speed limit would be 60 km per hour and the travel time would be reduced from six hours to four hours if going by car. Fuel consumption will also come down. Besides, the lesser curves on the highway will reduce the accident rate, providing more safety to road users. The longest tunnel will be between Shalaghat and Piplu Ghat,” sources added.

“Keeping in mind the fragile hills of the state and repeated landslides on highways, the Shimla-Kangra highway project would be the first one to be constructed by using grid-based road technology. This will reduce the maintenance cost and provide safe passage to the vehicles. The grid-based technology saves hills from vertical cutting. The first lane is constructed on a higher slope and the second lane on a lower one. This makes a grid of two separate roads running parallel on the hills.”

The NHAI will use the maximum length of the existing NH-88 (now renamed NH-103), though it will bypass major bottlenecks and towns to avoid displacement of people.