Chakki bridge reopens for heavy vehicle traffic

The highway bridge was closed after a colonial-era railway bridge on the Pathankot-Joginderngar narrow gauge line was washed away on August 20

DHARAMSHALA The Chakki Bridge on the Pathankot-Mandi national highway connecting Himachal with Punjab was reopened for heavy vehicle traffic on Sunday, nearly a month after it was closed for urgent repairs.

The bridge was closed for repairs to the foundations of Pier-1 and 2. (HT Photo)

The work for the restoration of the bridge is almost complete and it has been reopened for heavy motor and loaded vehicles after the consultant engaged by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) gave a go-ahead to reopen the bridge for all kinds of traffic, said Colonel Anil Sen, project director, NHAI.

The highway bridge was closed after a colonial-era railway bridge on the Pathankot-Joginderngar narrow gauge line was washed away on August 20 after multiple cloudbursts in the region. The flooded Chakki rivulet had also scoured the foundation of the highway bridge, following which it was closed for repairs and was opened for traffic movement in phases. The NHAI had taken Indian Army engineers’ help to divert the river flow away from the Pier-I and II of the bridge, which came under threat due to riverbed erosion.

It was opened on August 22 but closed three days later as a precautionary measure. The NHAI allowed the movement of light motor vehicles through the bridge on September 12.

The commuters had to take a 15-kilometre detour to reach Pathankot from Kandwal on the Himachal side.

It is worth mentioning that the locals allege rampant illegal mining in the Chakki rivulet for the collapse of the Railway Bridge and damage to the highway bridge.

Over the years, villagers allege, the riverbed of the Chakki stream has gone down rapidly with hundreds of acres of land engulfed by the rivulet or has turned into a wasteland. Private and public property, mainly irrigation schemes have also been damaged.

The unmarked interstate boundary makes it difficult for authorities to curb illegal mining. The Himachal Pradesh government had carried out a demarcation exercise a few years back but in vain.