Landslide-prone Ghat Bend on NH-9 to get Rs. 33-crore slope treatment
Landslide-prone Ghat Bend on NH-9 to get Rs. 33-crore slope treatment
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Sept 28
The slope treatment of the Ghat Bend, a critical stretch of the Tanakpur–Pithoragarh NH-9, is set to begin soon, with a ₹33-crore tender for the work scheduled to open on September 30. The stretch had remained closed for more than 48 hours due to intermittent shooting of boulders from the hillside.
Bibhor Gupta, Executive Engineer of the National Highways (NH) Lohaghat Division, said the slope treatment work would be undertaken in consultation with the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC), which has been engaged as an expert consultant for slope treatment along the highway.
“The slope treatment work will be carried out in consultation with THDC, which is the expert consultant for slope treatment of the highway,” Gupta said.
The Ghat Bend section of the 150-km-long highway, which forms part of the All-Weather Road project for the Char Dham pilgrimage launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2016, has disrupted connectivity to the border district repeatedly over the past 20 days. The shooting of boulders and debris from the hillside has continued intermittently, even in the absence of rainfall in the area.
According to Gupta, the slope treatment will include the construction of a six-metre-high retaining wall along with wire netting on the vulnerable slope to prevent loose debris and boulders from falling onto the road.
Pithoragarh District Magistrate Ashish Bhatgai inspected the site on Sunday evening and directed NH officials to undertake comprehensive treatment of the hill to find a permanent solution to the recurring landslide problem.
“The 200-metre-long stretch will be treated soon to make the lifeline road of the border district free from landslides at this highly sensitive sliding zone,” the DM said.
The district administration has also deployed an SDRF team to assist passengers stranded on the highway. Dungar Singh Adhikari, an SDRF officer, said the team had helped more than 1,100 passengers take an alternative shorter route as thousands of people remained stranded in a four-kilometre-long traffic jam caused by the continuous shooting of boulders and debris.
