Monday, 07 AUGUST 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) in Uttarkashi will start a massive slope stabilisation project at 32 locations prone to landslides due to heavy rains and floods. The plan is expected to minimise the risk of landslides, mudslides and rolling stones that often cause damage to lives and property during every monsoon, said the structural engineer, civil, commandant Vivek Srivastava. He said that geotechnical experts of THDC India Limited will study all the identified vulnerable sites to ensure work can be commenced there accordingly under the slope stabilisation project. He said that under this project, rocks are bolted together to prevent them from sliding and check intensive soil erosion which is usually triggered by heavy rains. After that, a twisted hexagonal shaped wire mesh and high tensile rolled cable net are usually placed on the boulted surface to prevent sliding of rocks, said Srivastava. He said that each site will take at least four to six months depending on the work it needs and BRO will carry out work at multiple sites simultaneously under the project. He said that the organisation has already started working on seven to eight vulnerable sites in the district and the whole project is expected to be finished by the end of this year. Talking about the effect of inclement weather on border roads and bridges under BRO, Srivastava said that in the past two months, four casualties were reported and three vehicles were severely damaged due to rolling stones. He said that this year due to heavy and intense rains, there has been more damage as compared to the corresponding period last year. “We have done rock bolting earlier too but we are doing it at a massive level this time. We are expecting that with this slope stabilisation project, the potential risks of landslides and rock falling among others will be minimised considerably in the district,” added Srivastava.
