Mandi-Kullu road via Kataula too narrow, widening sought
Strap: Is used as alternate route to reach Kullu in the event of landslides on Chandigarh-Manali highway
Dipender Manta
Tribune News Service
Mandi, October 8
The Mandi-Kullu road via Kataula that connects the Chandigarh-Manali highway at Bajaura in Kullu is narrow and steep, making driving tough. The 51-km road requires widening to ensure smooth flow of traffic.
The route is used by the Mandi administration as an alternative track towards Kullu from the Mandi side when the Chandigarh-Manali highway is blocked in the wake of landslides. Fourlaning work is going on of the highway for the past few years. Due to deep cutting on the hillside from Mandi up to Aut the highway has become prone to landslides, especially during rainy season.
Residents of Mandi and Kullu districts have been demanding widening of the Mandi-Kullu road via Kataula for the past several years but nothing has been done. The 28-km stretch from Mandi to Tihri via Kataula was widened a few years ago but the 23-km distance from Tihri ahead towards Bajaura is still single lane.
Hoteliers of Kullu-Manali have urged the state government to widen the road as it is an alternative passage for the movement of tourist vehicles. As the road is too narrow it is unable to handle the tourist rush. Being too narrow, it is not suitable for movement of Volvo buses, the hoteliers stated.
Anup Thakur, president of the Hoteliers Association, Kullu-Manali, said: “The Chandigarh-Manali highway fourlaning work is going on for the past couple of years, which will take some time to be completed. As such, the highway is in bad condition. There is a need to widen the Mandi-Kullu road for smooth traffic movement so that it can be used in the future also.”
The XEN, Mandi PWD, said: “The department has urged the state government to bring the Mandi-Kullu road under the Central Road Fund Scheme. The department has already prepared its DPR. The maintenance works is underway on this road and a tender of Rs 14 crore has been awarded to a contractor for the next five years for the maintenance of road in a regular basis.”
