Ride risky on Dagshai road

Tribune News service
Solan, February 19

The Dosarka-Dagshai road has once again become risky with massive erosion of the hill below following incessant rains in the last few days.

Since the hill has been excavated for four-laning of the National Highway, a sizeable portion eroded following last week’s rains. This has rendered travelling on the Dosarka- Dagshai road risky. Gaping crevices had appeared on the road. Driving on a stretch of at least one-km has become risky.

This was the second such occasion when the cave-in has occurred. Earlier too, this road had caved in due to the four-laning work. It had taken months for the restoration of the road.

A visit to the site revealed that the alignment of the Dosarka-Dagshai road leading to this cantonment town has been badly disturbed due to the excavation work of the hill below. Though as many as three JCB machines have been pressed into service to clear the debris and undertake repair work the ongoing rains have made the task arduous.

The erosion of the hill has rendered the lane facing the hill side unfit for travelling and traffic was diverted through the other lane. Containing erosions has become a headache for the private company four-laning this highway from Dharampur to Kumarhatti where large mounds of earth crumble down each time it rains. This has put a question mark over the stability of the hills where low breast walls have failed to protect erosion.

With GR Infraprojects hastening the work, the commuters travelling on this road on a daily basis were a worried lot as the unprotected hills were an invitation to accidents. The risk was compounded in the evenings and during the night hours.