Solan: Slope protection work to begin after rains on Parwanoo-Solan highway

Ambika Sharma

Solan, July 29

The onset of rains has delayed the much-awaited slope protection work of the 20-km stretch on Parwanoo-Solan section of National Highway (NH)-5.

176 spots identified

• As many as 176 defects were identified over an area of 6,485m on the 20-km stretch of the Parwanoo-Dharampur section of the highway, which was affected by landslides during the torrential rains.
• Lack of slope protection has been noted as the major factor, which led to loose boulders and soil sliding down from the cut slopes.
• Experts had recommended several measures, including creating of dynamic rockfall barriers, to arrest the rolling boulders from flowing down.

Though the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has approved the Rs 100-crore project for this stretch work will resume in mid-September once the monsoon retreats.

The need to undertake this crucial work has once again been necessitated after big boulders fell on a Bolero vehicle near Datiyar killing a Phagwara resident and injuring three others in the wee hours today.

As per the scope of four-laning work, the breast walls measuring 1.5 m to 3 m were erected along the slopes while vertical cutting of the hills was undertaken over angles varying from 50 to 85 degree with the slope height varying from 10 to 100m.

In a bid to provide a permanent solution to restore the damaged stretches on the severally affected 20-km Parwanoo-Dharampur section of the National Highway (NH)-5, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had sought opinion of expert from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) as well as several IITs.

Project Director, NHAI, Shimla, Anand Dahiya, confirmed that work to undertake slope protection will begin once the rains subside in mid-September and about a year and a half would be spent in the work assigned for Rs 100 crore. This also covers 10 years of defect liability where the company will repair the damage caused after repair for a period of 10 years.

The company has begun testing of soil strata and their experts will design interventions based on their reports.

He added that no sizable change has been noticed in the slopes in the last about a month after the onset of the monsoon and in case there was sizable erosion at some place the contractor could undertake need-based interventions. He said experts from IIT Patna have been given Rs 50 lakh and they will soon undertake real time monitoring of vulnerable stretches like Chakki Mor where colossal damage had been caused last monsoon.

As many as 176 defects were identified over an area of 6,485m on the 20-km stretch of the Parwanoo-Dharampur section of the highway, which was affected by landslides during the torrential rains. The lack of slope protection has been noted as the major factor which led to loose boulders and soil sliding down from the cut slopes. Experts had recommended several measures, including creating of dynamic rockfall barriers to arrest the rolling boulders from flowing down.