Work on 28.7-km stretch on Pathankot-Mandi national highway begins

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Palampur, May 24

The construction work on the 28.7 km Chakki Bank to Bhed Khud road stretch of the Pathankot-Mandi highway widening project has started after the final approval from the Supreme Court.

Anil Sen, Project Director, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), told The Tribune today that Mumbai-based IRB Infra Private Limited, which was awarded the project for Rs 724 crore, had deployed earth movers, JCB machines, and workforce; the project is scheduled to be completed within two years. He added that the road would facilitate Army supplies to Leh and Ladhak and other forward areas.

Sen said that the main highlight of the project was the construction of a 4 km bypass at Nurpur, 1 km flyover at Jassur, 520 m double-lane bridge on the Chakki river near Jassur, and the construction of a toll plaza at Pakka Tiyala, near Nurpur.

He said that the company would re-construct, widen, strengthen and channel the 28.7-km stretch of the highway connecting Pathankot with parts of Himachal Pradesh and Leh and Ladhak. He said that excavation of roadsides for widening the highway had been started. The width of the road would be between 45 metre and 60 metre depending upon the topography of the area. The priority would be to avoid cutting of hills, he added.