Slab culvert on Kullu-Naggar road to end commuters’ woes

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, September 18

The PWD is constructing a slab culvert on the damaged stretch of the Kullu-Naggar road at Chharudu. About 100-metre road was washed away in 2018.

The area is prone to landslides due to the seepage of water in the hill. The PWD had constructed a temporary road within 15 days as a stop-gap arrangement. The road is narrow with the Beas on the one side and loose hill on the other. Now, the PWD is building a slab culvert to provide a permanent solution to commuters.

KK Sharma, Superintending Engineer, PWD, Kullu, said even earlier, breast walls and pipes had been laid but the volume of water seepage was not going through the pipes. He said the tarring of the 300-metre stretch would also be done and work would be accomplished by October.

The official said a 30-metre bypass had been made for the smooth traffic movement during the construction work.

This left bank road connects many villages between Kullu and Raison. Heavy vehicles cannot cross the Raison bridge and the road is the only link to areas between Kullu and Naggar. Residents said the slab culvert should be made according to the proposed double-laning of the highway.