Five all-weather tunnels on the Manali four-lane national highway from Hanogi to Jhalogi, which lay between Mandi and Kullu towns in Himachal Pradesh, turned out to be saviour for the motorists, largely locals, as torrential rain that triggered flash floods in the Beas River has washed away a major portion of the old highway in this segment.
Currently, the traffic on the highway between Pandoh and Aut, part of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway project, is passing through the tunnels that were opened for the traffic on May 20. They are yet to be formally inaugurated.
Every year after heavy rainfall, the flooded Beas flows over the highway that has steep hills on one side and deep valleys of the river on the other.
Officials told IANS a large stretch of the old 22-km-long highway between Pandoh and Aut has been washed away. So the traffic is passing through the newly constructed tunnels.
The twin tube tunnels built between Pandoh and Aut as part of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway project, bypasses the landslide-prone stretch that passes via the Hanogi Mata temple.
"These all-weather tunnels have come as a blessing for the locals as a major portion of the (old) highway between Aut and Pandoh has been washed away. It will take at least six months to reconstruct or relay it," Prem Thakur, a resident of Manali, who travelled on the highway on Monday, told IANS.
He said if these tunnels were not completed, the entire Kullu-Manali region would remain cut off by road from the rest of the country for months.
Local vegetable grower Jeevan Negi said flash floods on July 8-9 have extensively damaged the highway from Jhalogi to Hanogi. "We are thankful to the Central government for completing these crucial tunnels well ahead of the onset of monsoon. Otherwise, the transportation of vegetables and fruits by road would almost come to a standstill, impacting the local economy."
The highway stretch near Tharot and 7 Mile, a few km ahead of Mandi town, was badly damaged. "In earlier years the river water reached up to the level of the road. This time the flash flood in the river has wiped out 300-400 metre stretch of the highway and it took months to relay it."
Work on the Pandoh bypass to Takoli, which is underway, will provide round-the-year connectivity to Manali. It will become the largest cross-sectional tunnels in the region and reduce travel time from Mandi to Manali by 90 minutes, say officials.
The Pandoh to Takoli stretch has four twin tube tunnels, two single tube tunnels, two major and nine minor Bridges, one elevated bridge and 19 km road.
Even on normal days the motorists are advised to travel with precaution between Mandi and Kullu towns owing to landslide-prone, narrow and sinking stretches due to loose rock strata and vulnerable to being flooded by the Beas River that ran along the highway.
The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is executing the four-lane road project that will overall shorten the distance between Kiratpur in Punjab and Manali from 232 km to 195 km, reducing the travel time by three hours.
The NHAI, which missed its deadlines in the past, now aims to complete the entire project by March 2024.
"Stunning visuals from the 4-lane Pandoh Bypass to Takoli section of Chandigarh-Manali Highway. Commuters are enjoying superb uphill driving conditions," Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari tweeted on May 2.
He said the highway from Kiratpur to Nerchowk and from Pandoh to Takoli is being proposed to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Earlier he tweeted by saying, "The ongoing work four-laning of 48-km long Kiratpur Nerchowk (NH-21) stretch connecting the mesmerising tourist place of Manali, Himachal Pradesh through 05 Tunnels and 22 Major Bridges over river Satluj…”
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