The Newz Radar
MANDI: Days after The Newz Radar highlighted the slow pace of repair work on the Mandi-Pandoh stretch of the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway-21, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has finally woken up and started four-hour road restoration work daily from Monday (April 22, 2024) onwards.
Commencing Monday morning, the road from Bidrabani to Pandoh Transit Camp will remain closed four hours in stretches of two hours each from 11 am to 1 pm and 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm. Initially, the road is to be closed for five days till Friday.
In an exclusive report published on April 16, The Newz Radar had highlighted how the NHAI hardly paid any attention to the pending cutting and repair work for the past 10 months after the highway stretch suffered massive damage following the devastating monsoon rain in August last year.
During the four-hour stoppages, motorists operating small vehicles have been advised to utilise alternative routes while the drivers of heavy vehicles will be required to wait on the roadside for the highway to open. The NHAI has announced plans to clear large boulders that pose a risk to commuters at 6 Miles and 9 Miles during the four-hour period. The pending construction work near Bidrabani will also be expedited.
The joint decision by the local authorities and the NHAI has been taken in view of the tourist season that is set to commence next month. The aim is to preemptively manage traffic congestion on the national highway during peak tourist season.
Additional Police Superintendent Sagar Chandra outlined the timing of the closures, with the first block scheduled from 11 am to 1 pm, followed by the second closure from 3.30 pm to 5.30 p.m. Light vehicles traveling between Mandi and Kullu will be directed to use the Kamand-Katola road during these hours while the Pandoh-Gohar Chail Chowk road via Sundernagar will accommodate traffic in both directions.
