Uprooted trees turn Parwanoo-Solan highway perilous

Solan, November 13

A plethora of uprooted trees and debris flowing down the excavated hill at several vulnerable spots have made commuting a risky affair on the four-lane Parwanoo-Solan highway.

Though the four-laning of the 39-km stretch of the Parwanoo-Solan highway was completed in June 2021, the stability of the slope at several spots was far from satisfactory.

Some trees are seen hanging precariously on the excavated slopes, which were dug up for the four-laning of the highway. There are several such spots between Sanwara and Kumarhatti. At some places, the lane facing the hilly slope is closed for vehicles for days together as tonnes of uprooted trees and debris flow down the road.

Though the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), which is executing the four-laning work, was supposed to undertake a survey to assess such vulnerable spots and put in place suitable measures to contain the landslides, it was yet to zero in on the agency for the process.

The delay is proving dear to the motorists who face the peril of hanging trees and debris. With the lack of parking places, residents often park their vehicles on the roads along the lanes facing the hilly slopes. Instances of vehicles facing damage from the debris were coming to the fore.

The vertical excavation of the hills for 15 m to 30 m was undertaken while the four-laning of the highway. Beast walls of barely 1.5 m to 3 m were erected along the hilly slopes as per the scope of the project. This left the remaining slope exposed and it gives way whenever it rains as water seepage triggers landslides.

A regular exercise to remove trees hanging precariously along the highway should be undertaken to avoid mishaps, said Rakesh, a Dharampur resident.