Firm fined Rs 17.32 lakh over tunnel project report delay

Action taken to ensure compliance of project timeline: Official

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, Updated At : 09:22 AM Oct 04, 2024 IST

A snow-covered Jalori Pass at Kullu. File photo

The National Highways wing of the state Public Works Department (PWD) has imposed a Rs 17.32-lakh penalty on the company engaged in the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR) for the Jalori tunnel on the Aut-Luhri National Highway No. 305.

Though the area remained inaccessible for a long time due to the natural disaster last year, the penalty was imposed to ensure the compliance of the timeline for the priority project. Sojha locals had opposed the alignment of the tunnel beneath the village.

The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had awarded the work for preparing the DPR for the 4.2-km Jalori Jot Tunnel between Ghiyagi on the Banjar side and Khanag on the Outer Seraj side to Altinok Consulting Engineering Inc for Rs 17.32 crore last year.

The company was tasked with preparing the designs of the tunnel, a double-lane bridge and a double-lane 7-km connectivity road, besides monitoring the tunnel construction. The tunnel would be constructed at a cost of about Rs 990 crore.

The 10,280 feet high Jalori Pass remains closed for vehicular movement due to a heavy snowfall in winter and people from 69 panchayats of Outer Seraj have to traverse long distances via alternative routes. The plan to build a tunnel under the Jalori Pass to facilitate round-the-year vehicular movement is in the works for the past four decades. The Union Ministry had approved its construction in February 2020 after an aerial geological survey was conducted with the help of the Indian Air Force in December 2019. The alignment of the tunnel was yet to be finalised. While the apprehensions of Sojha residents have been dismissed by the ministry, the company executives have apprised the locals of the portals and other aspects of the tunnel. The Executive Engineer of the National Highway wing of the PWD, KL Suman, said the penalty had been imposed on the company for the delay in preparing the DPR as per the timeline in the agreement.

“Revisions have been suggested by the Union Ministry related to the portals and alignment of the tunnel. The DPR will be finalised by March 2025,” he added.