Parwanoo-Solan NH-5 project cost crosses Rs 1,000-cr mark

Ambika Sharma

Solan, June 3

With several modifications made in the original design of the four-laning project of the Parwanoo-Solan section of the National Highway-5 (NH), its cost has escalated from Rs 748 crore to more than Rs 1,000 crore.

The need-based modifications were made by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to ensure stability and safety of the highway. This included construction of three viaduct bridges which were necessitated as the sliding zones left limited scope to widen the road.

Ensuring safety of commuters

Additional work like viaduct bridges and slope stabilisation have been added to the design to ensure safety of commuters on the NH. Abdul Basit, nhai regional officer

While one such bridge was constructed near the Timber Trail Resorts, Parwanoo, another was being built near Patta Mor on the Dharampur-Kumarhatti section of the highway. There is also a third one in the offing. The three bridges have added a cost of about Rs 41 crore.

Another sum amounting to Rs 140 crore would be incurred on stabilising the slopes at 39 locations on this highway where lose debris and boulders fall from the excavated hills and make driving here risky during the rains.

Since walls of merely 1.5m to 3m were raised on the slopes as per the original design, it failed to prevent erosion from the slopes which were excavated 10 to 15 m vertically. Taking serious note of the situation, the NHAI officials floated a tender of Rs 140 crore for this.

A detailed project report is prepared while executing such projects where issues like soil strata is taken into account for devising engineering strategies for the entire stretch. It seems the presence of sliding zones at several places was ignored in the project.

The four-laning work of this stretch, which began in September 2015, was supposed to be completed within two-and-a-half years by March 2018. Work assigned as per the original design was completed in June 2021 after five years and modifications like viaduct bridges and slope stablisation were introduced later.

The smooth implementation of the work was affected due unavailability of land, exodus of migrants during the Covid, besides an NGT order putting the work on hold for a few months owing to environmental concerns.

Additional Rs 123 crore have been sought from the NHAI by a private company, GR Infraprojects, which four-laned the highway. The matter was pending before the arbitration.