Expert panel to assess damage caused to Kullu-Manali highway: Nitin Gadkari

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, August 1

Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari today reviewed damage caused by flashfloods in Kullu district. He said that an expert committee would do technical evaluation of the damage caused to the Kullu-Manali national highway and submit a report to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Gadkari, while interacting with mediapersons later, said that a committee comprising experts from the IIT-Mandi and IIT-Roorkee would visit Kullu shortly and study the damage caused by floods and the possible solution. He was replying to a question asked by this correspondent whether faulty alignment or substandard construction work was the cause of the huge damage caused to the Kullu-Manali highway by flashfloods.

The Union Minister said that further technical studies would be carried out for long-term planning to check such devastation in future.

Asked whether the highway would be widened to four lanes, the Union Minister said that due to geographical conditions in the region, it was not an easy job. He added that there was the Beas on one side and mountains and habitations on the other.

Gadkari said that clearance from the Forest Department was another major hindrance in changing the alignment of the road while the construction of tunnels involved a huge cost. “Already 68 tunnels have been proposed in Himachal to be constructed at a cost of Rs 12,500 crore. The work on the Chandigarh-Manali national highway will be completed soon,” he added.

He said that the Union Government would provide Rs 400 crore under the Central Road and Infrastructure Fund (CRIF) for the repair and restoration of highways in the state. “The NHAI will bear the expenditure on the repair of link roads in the radius of one kilometre of the national highway to facilitate fruit growers of rural areas,” he added.

Gadkari said that if the course of the Beas could be straightened, losses due to flashfloods could be reduced considerably. He added, “The water level of the Beas rises due to silt and boulders. The riverbed should be dug up to about 3 metres deep from the centre and concrete and stone walls should be built on its banks.”

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu refrained from answering the question whether he was satisfied with the relief provided by the Central Government so far.

NHAI officials said that around 16 km of the national highway had been damaged between Mandi and Manali.

Centre to give Rs 400 cr for road repair

• The Union Government to provide Rs 400 crore for the repair and restoration of highways in the state
• NHAI officials said 16 km of the Kullu-Manali highway had been damaged
• Rs 250 crore sanctioned for the Bijli Mahadev ropeway and the tender for the project will be awarded by August 15
• Approval given to the Shahpur-Sihunta road to be built at a cost of Rs 52 crore
• An expert committee to be formed to carry out a study to check landslides
• The work on the Chandigarh-Manali national highway will be completed soon, said Gadkari

Join Whatsapp Channel of The Tribune for latest updates.

#Kullu #Manali #Nitin Gadkari