Chakki bridge connecting Punjab and Himachal closed again after pillar protection crates washed away

Rajiv Mahajan

Nurpur, September 25

Lakhs of rupees spent on the protection crate work to save two pillars of the Chakki bridge on the Punjab side went down the drain as a flash flood triggered by rain in upper areas caused a heavy erosion.

After the protection crate work were washed away on Sunday, the NHAI closed the inter-state Chakki bridge just after eight days of it was opened for heavy and loaded vehicles.

The NHAI machinery has diverted the river course away from the two exposed pillars.

Keeping in view the safety of the endangered bridge on Pathankot-Mandi National Highway-154 at Kandwal in Nurpur, the NHAI has written to the Kangra Deputy Commissioner and Pathankot DC this evening for closing the bridge for vehicular traffic with an immediate effect.

In the letter, the NHAI has admitted that massive damage had been caused to the garlanding work (protection crate work) undertaken around pillar 1 and 2.

Nurpur SDM Anil Bhardwaj told The Tribune that after getting a communiqué from the NHAI the administration had closed the bridge for heavy and loaded vehicles this evening at 7 pm whereas it would also be closed for light passenger vehicles at 6 am on Monday.  He said the vehicular traffic has been diverted via Kandwal-Lodhwan- Pathankot link road.

It may be recalled that this bridge after completion of pillars protection work had been opened for all types of vehicles on September 18 after 25 days by the NHAI.

Initially, the bridge had been closed for traffic on August 20 and re-opened on August 22 but it was again closed on August 25.

The NHAI had deployed its mechanical machinery to divert the course of Chakki rivulet and also started protection work to save the pillars of the bridge from further exposure from the riverbed.