Shimla: NHAI has submitted the report of damage to the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway to the Governor. NHAI has assured to completely restore the National Highway in the next 12 days.
NHAI has submitted this report to the Governor in a meeting held on Thursday. On this occasion, NHAI Regional Officer Abdul Basit said that the maximum damage on this National Highway has happened between Kullu-Manali-Pandoh.
The highway has been completely washed away at dozens of places on Kullu-Manali and the movement of vehicles is being done from Raisen through the left bank.
He said that in order to provide relief to the people who have been cut off between Kullu-Manali, an alternative route of four to five meters wide is being made. Smaller vehicles will be able to come through this.
An alternative route of five kilometers is yet to be built between Cloth and 16 Mile. This too will be completed in the next 10 to 12 days. The construction works are getting hampered due to inclement weather and incessant rains.
The road between Raisen-Patlikuhal has been made. He said that three spans of the 50-year-old bridge had collapsed on the Pinjore-Baddi-Nalagarh highway.
In parallel, NHI is building a permanent bridge, but the work of alternative bridge for industries is going on very fast day and night.
Central government formed expert committee for highways
The Government of India has formed an expert committee to fix the highways with the new flood standards. This includes professors from IIT, Mandi, Roorkee and retired NHAI member projects.
Based on this report, Governor Shiv Prasad Shukla has expressed satisfaction over the works of NHAI. Earlier, the Governor had visited Mandi-Kullu-Manali on July 15.
The damage caused by the flood was reviewed and NHAI was instructed to repair the highways and operate the traffic. After this, NHAI Regional Officer Abdul Basit gave him complete information during this meeting.