After a prolonged wait, construction of flyover-cum-underpasses at Dadaur and Nagchala on the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway in Mandi district has finally received the go-ahead.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has awarded a Rs 27-crore tender to a private company for construction of the two structures. According to officials, the contractor will commence work within three months and complete the project within 18 months.
The move is expected to address long-standing safety concerns at Dadaur and Nagchala, identified as accident-prone locations along the four-lane highway.
According to Varun Chari, Project Director of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane project, Dadaur, Nagchala and Jhiri were among the major black spots on the four-lane stretch in Mandi district, where frequent accidents had raised concerns among local residents and commuters.
Following repeated demands from residents and an assessment of the need to improve road safety, the NHAI decided to construct flyover-cum-underpasses at these locations. At Dadaur, both carriageways of the four-lane highway will be elevated through a flyover, while an underpass will be provided underneath to facilitate local traffic movement.
At Nagchala, the flyover-cum-underpass will be constructed only on the carriageway carrying traffic from Bilaspur towards Mandi. The other carriageway will retain its existing configuration. NHAI Project Director Varun Chari said contractor had been given three months to commence work and 18 months to complete the project.
Meanwhile, work on another flyover-cum-underpass at Jhiri in Mandi district is also set to resume. The Jhiri project, being constructed at a cost of around Rs 33 crore, involves the Mandi-to-Kullu carriageway.
The project had faced opposition from local residents, who had raised concerns over the proposed configuration. The matter subsequently reached the High Court, which has now allowed the work to continue. According to NHAI officials, construction at Jhiri is being restarted and the project is expected to be completed at the earliest.
With projects at Dadaur, Nagchala and Jhiri moving forward, the NHAI aims to improve traffic movement and road safety at identified accident-prone points on the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway in Mandi district. The flyover-cum-underpasses are also expected to facilitate safer movement for local residents and through traffic.
