With completion of Chalthi bridge, Tanakpur-Pithoragarh National highway complete

With completion of Chalthi bridge, Tanakpur-Pithoragarh National highway complete

B.D.Kasniyal

Pithoragarh, Sept 16

With the completion of Chalthi bridge on Ladhiya river, the only concrete bridge on Tanakpur to Pithoragarh all weather road, the last phase of the national highway has been completed.

The concretd bridge is 120 m long and 14.90 m wide and has a weight bearing capacity of 70R, , and will reduce the distance to both sides upto 300 meters. “The bridge, would have been completed in March this year, but due to washing away of 2 foundation towers in October 2021, in a flood, the work was delayed,” Sunil Kumar, Executive Engineer of National Highway division at Lohaghat in Champawat district.

According to the NH engineer, the bridge was constructed at a cost of Rs 209 crore.

“After successful testing of its weight bearing capacity in last week of September this year, we have formerly opened the bridge for public from September 15,” said Sunil Kumar.

With the  completion of Chalthi bridge, all project work of this road have been completed.

The 150 km long Tanakpur to Pithoragarh all weather road is only project in Kumaon region, under Rs 12000 crore Chardham All Weather roads project approved by Prime Minister in the year 2016.

“The 3 packages of this all weather road, have been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on December 30, 2021. We have requested the Prime Minister to inaugurate the Rs. 209 crore fourth phase when he visits Pithoragarh next month,” said the NH executive engineer. Before this bridge, a small bow size concrete bridge was at service at the place, which  was constructed in the year 1955.