Chandigarh–Manali four-lane flyover part collapses, road sinks 6 inches, traffic halted

Chandigarh\Manali (The Uttam Hindu): A big incident happened near Dwada in Mandi, where part of the Chandigarh–Manali four-lane flyover went down by about six inches. Because of this, the authorities stopped all traffic on the flyover. Mandi Police also stopped vehicles near 9 Mile and Oat to keep people safe. This flyover had already developed big cracks during the July rains and now the damage has become worse. To avoid any danger, the administration has decided to completely stop vehicle movement on this route.

This development has caused fresh trouble for locals, tourists, and apple transporters as the Chandigarh–Manali four-lane has already remained closed for over 70 of the last 90 days. Just three days ago, the route was restored after a 12-day closure but the new damage has again cut off connectivity for residents of Mandi, Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti districts. Small vehicles are being diverted through the Katula–Kamand road while heavy vehicles remain stranded until repairs are completed.

Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari had earlier raised questions over the quality of the project remarking that engineers prepare DPRs without ground studies leading to poor construction. Confirming the damage, Mandi SP Sakshi Verma said traffic will remain halted as the NHAI has begun repair work which is expected to take 7–8 hours under police supervision.