Mandi-Pandoh road to be closed for one hour thrice a day
Kullu, November 24
Vehicular traffic will remain closed for one hour thrice a day in view of jams witnessed due to the ongoing work to widen the Mandi to Pandoh highway and the possibility of accidents due to cutting and blasting work. No vehicle will be allowed from 10 am to 11 am, 12.30 pm to 1.30 pm and 3.30 pm to 4.30 pm from both sides of the highway.
Mandi SP Shalini Agnihotri said that there were three contractors working on this highway stretch. She added that there was no coordination between the contractors and they were carrying out blasting arbitrarily, hindering traffic.
She said that to streamline traffic, a plan had been implemented on an experimental basis. This would accelerate the work to widen the highway to four lanes and people could plan their journey accordingly, she added.
Shalini said, “If the trial is successful, it will be implemented till the construction work is completed. However, in case of an emergency, vehicles will not be stopped.”
NHAI Project Director Varun Chari said that June 2023 had been set as the target date to accomplish the work to widen the highway between Mandi and Kullu. However, the alternative Mandi-Kandi-Bajaura road would remain open for vehicles.
