Five tunnels on the Kiratpur-Manali highway set to be thrown open for trial runs
As many as 10 tunnels are being constructed between Pandoh to Aut in Mandi district as part of the project; five of them, between Hanogi to Jhalog, meanwhile, have been completed
Five modern tunnels on the Kiratpur-Manali highway, which is being developed into a four-lane thoroughfare, will be thrown open for test runs as the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) is set to complete the construction work on the Kiratpur-Ner Chowk stretch by end of next month.
Union minister of road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari shared photographs of the new four-lane highway, significant for its strategic and tourism value, on social media.
As many as 10 tunnels are being constructed between Pandoh to Aut in Mandi district as part of the project.
Five of them, between Hanogi to Jhalog, meanwhile, have been completed and are being opened for trial, the union minister wrote in a series of tweets. The stretch of the highway was the most treacherous as it was prone to falling rocks and landslides as well as vulnerable to being flooded by the Beas River that ran along it.
With the opening of the five tunnels, travel is expected to become much safer and cut down on the commute.
Gadkari also wrote that Kiratpur to Nerchowk and Pandoh to Takoli stretches of the project are set to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi once the work completes.
The NHAI has set a June 30 deadline to complete the Kiratpur-Ner Chowk stretch. This excludes the Sundernagar Bypass, which would take another year and is expected to be completed by June 13, 2024.
The Nerchowk-Pandoh stretch would likely be completed by December 31 this year and Pandoh-Takoli by March 31 next year.
The parts between Takoli to Kullu and Kullu to Manali have been completed.
The four-laning project includes a total of 37 bridges, 14 tunnels, one elevated viaduct, and double-lane of 13-km highway stretch with slope protection, culverts, retaining walls, drainage and many other features.
Launched in 2013, it was tipped as a major win for the region, one that would reduce the distance between Kiratpur to Manali to 197-km from the existing 232-km and cut the travel time between Manali and Chandigarh by three hours. The project has already missed its 2021 deadline.
Once complete, the NHAI claims that it will reduce the number of road accidents and ensure smooth flow of traffic. It is expected to save an estimated ₹900-1,000 crore per annum in fuel and maintenance cost, while also curtain environmental pollution, the NHAI said.
