The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) is continuing with the daunting task of rehabilitation of road network in natural calamity-hit Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
As per the latest figures, the BRO has pressed into service more than 120 excavators and bulldozers in the rehabilitation works.
The damages are so massive that about 30 km of road has to be made afresh. Around 4000 BRO personnel and laborers are working to complete the task on war footing .The main focus at present is to keep all the main axes open and connect the places which are still cutoff by road. Due to heavy rains in the entire region road clearance work was again hampered at many places and roads blocked due to fresh landslides and breaches.
However these are being cleared quickly. Despite all odds BRO has kept open both the main axis i.e. Rishikesh - Uttarkashi and Rishikesh Joshimath - Govindghat. A readymade foot Bridge has been launched at Pandukeshwar across river Alaknanda near Govidgaht on Joshimath - Badrinath axis. This has enabled the faster evacuation of stranded passengers from Badrinath.
The road wise status is as under:
Road Rishikesh-Dharasu- Uttarkashi - Gangotri: - Road up to Uttarkashi is opened. However there are two trouble points near Dharashu. Machinery have been deployed at these locations. Beyond Uttarkashi there are road breach at as many as 30 locations. The work is going on these points by dividing the sector in four sections. Road clearance work has been started from Gangotri side also, and road has been opened up to Harshil. A part of the road between Harshil and Urratkashi has also been cleared .The road between Uttarkashi and Harshil has suffered major damages. BRO has made several foot tracks to help stranded passengers and also provided shelters food and transportation to pilgrims.
Road Rishikesh-Joshimath-Badrinath- Mana: - The axis has been kept open despite heavy rains and fresh damages at many places up to km 496 (Govindghat). There are 2- 3 trouble points in between, one at Srinagar and another at Sirobhgarh. There are major breaches beyond Govindghat. 50 m bridge at Lambagarh has been washed away. Efforts are on to link the road from both Govindghat and Badrinath sides. A readymade foot Bridge has been made at Pandukeshwar across river Alaknanda near Govidgaht on Joshimath - Badrinath axis.
Rudraprayag-Gaurikund Road: - Presently the road from Rudraprayaga side has been cleared upto km 18 (August Muni) except at one point at km 6.5. Now efforts are on to clear the road between km 18 to 35. The continuous rain has disrupted clearance works and also damaged some stretches, which were earlier repaired. The road from Km 35 to Km 70 is generally clear. 6 Attack points have been opened on this road to clear the road. Songanga Br at km 70.30 has been washed away. The bridge at 35.60 (Rawanganga) has also been damaged which has since been repaired. BRO has also helped in clearing many lateral roads on this axis to help people to evacuate through alternate routes. Efforts are being made to launch a footbridge at this location for local population and stranded animals.
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Tanakpur - Pithoraghat - Tawaghat - Ghatiabagarh: - BRO has pressed in to service about 30 Bulldozers and excavators on this route. The road upto Pithoragarh is through for all traffic. Beyond Pithoragarh, the road is through up to Km 83. Beyond Km 80 up to Tawaghat, about 4 km road has been breached at more than 30 locations. Road has been opened between km 80 to 96 for light vehicles. Efforts are being made to connect Dharchulha for all type of vehicles. Major breaches are at Km 82.50, 84.30, 97.42, 99.35, 101.80, 106 and 107. Two bridges are also damaged before Tawaghat at km 100.57 and km 102.09. A 150 Ft bridge at Tawaghat has also been washed away. A massive operation of road clearance is going on .At the places where immediate road connectivity cannot be given due to massive damages; foot track connectivity has been established for essential communication.
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Road Jauljibi - Munsiyari: - This axis is closed due to major breaches at about 10 locations. Total road breached is more than 3.5 Km. However efforts are on to clear the road with the help of 8 Bulldozers and excavators. About 30 km road has been cleared. Foot track connectivity has been established in most of the road portion for transportation of ration and general public.
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Other roads in Uttarakhand: - With the opening of main axis efforts are made to open other lateral roads with BRO. The road clearance work has also started on these roads however full focus will shift to these roads once the major axes are open.
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Roads in Himachal Pradesh: - The roads Wangthu -Pooh and Pooh Kaurik extensive damage. The roads have been partly cleared up to Pangi, and district headquarter at Rikangpio has been connected as a big relief to the local population. Efforts are on to completely clear the road. A massive road Clarence work is going on. The roads have suffered major damages affecting about 4 km of road at about 80 places. More than 30 Bulldozers and excavators have been deployed. Road axis Sumdo-Kaza-Grampu has since been opened and further improvements are in progress.
