Monday, 28 AUGUST 2023 | PNS | NEW TEHRI
The approach road to the Chamba tunnel on the Rishikesh-Gangotri national highway has developed cracks due to land subsidence. The locals state that travelling on this stretch of the national highway has become risky due to subsidence and concrete measures should be taken to repair the damage without delay to prevent serious damage.
Land subsidence activity on the tunnle’s approach road near the Guldi village in Chamba has become active once again after a gap of about two years. Prominent cracks have developed on the road due to the subsidence which the local residents state was activated after the recent rains. This road is also important from the strategic point of view as it leads to the border region in Uttarkashi district. This road had earlier suffered from subsidence in 2021 which had also resulted in disruption of traffic for a few days. With the subsidence starting again, the locals are questioning the quality of the construction work. Guldi village Pradhan Paramjit Singh Sajwan said that the subsidence on the road had started during the rains about two weeks ago. Since then the width of the cracks on the road has been consistently increasing. The homes built nearby could suffer damage if prompt action is not taken to treat the subsidence, he said. Member of the Supreme Court appointed high powered committee on Char Dham all-weather road project, Hemant Dhyani said that considering the instability of the land, it is important to focus on the quality of the safety wall and proper drainage of water. An engineer of the Border Roads Organisation told this correspondent that senior officials and the company which had constructed the tunnel have been informed about the subsidence on the road.
