Commuters relieved as Chambaghat flyover on Shimla NH thrown open

The much-awaited 600-m flyover on the Solan-Shimla National Highway-5 at Chambaghat was thrown open to the public this evening. Small vehicles were initially permitted to ply over it.

Railways inspection held on Sept 9

• The flyover is part of the ongoing work to widen the Chambaghat-Kaithlighat section of the National Highway-5. Officials of the NHAI gave permission to throw open the flyover after Railway officials inspected it on September 9
• The flyover, which has been constructed over a railway line, will facilitate traffic management by reducing congestion and allowing vehicles to bypass congested intersections or level crossings. It will also eliminate traffic delays while improving safety at the railway crossing.
• It will also reduce travel time by providing direct routes across obstacles

The flyover is part of the ongoing work to widen the Chambaghat-Kaithlighat section of the National Highway-5. Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) gave permission to throw open the flyover after Railway officials inspected it on September 9 and gave the go-ahead, said Anand Dahiya, Project Director, NHAI, Shimla.

The opening of the flyover was delayed by three months in the absence of inspection by the Railway officials. It was completed in July and the inspection issue was pursued continuously with the Railways. “The flyover was constructed by M/s Airef Engineers Private Limited (AEPL) and it bears the longest bridge of 600 metres, comprising 19 spans, on the Parwanoo-Kaithlighat section of the National Highway-5. While 18 spans are of 30.5 m each, one span is 51.48 m in height,” said Dahiya.

The approach lengths are 175 metres on the Solan side and 350 metres on the Shimla side. “The bridge is constructed using a steel composite girder, which offers high load capacity, durability, and strength compared to other types of girders. The prestressing technique has been used in the construction of the bridge accommodating special vehicle loading specifications,” said Dipak Singh, General Manager, AEPL.

He said that the flyover, which has been constructed over a railway line, would facilitate traffic management by reducing congestion and allowing vehicles to bypass congested intersections or level crossings. “It will also eliminate traffic delays while improving safety at the railway crossing, thereby reducing the risk of accidents. This separation created by the flyover will help in maintaining a safer traffic flow,” he added.

With a separate lane of traffic above the obstacle, this railway over-bridge would help in maintaining a smooth and uninterrupted flow of vehicles, particularly during the peak tourist and apple seasons.

It would also reduce travel time by providing direct routes across obstacles and would significantly improve overall efficiency by reducing fuel consumption.

After the construction of service roads on both sides under the railway over-bridge-cum-flyover with a width of 5.5 metres, it is now easier to access key institutions like the Directorate of Mushroom Research at Chambaghat, Solan city, industrial area in Chambaghat as well as the village road to Basal.