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Lokmat News Network
Rafique Aziz
Aurangabad, Sept 4:
If all goes well, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), is hoping to reopen the Autram Ghat section for the light motor vehicles (LMVs) after September 10. Later on, a panel of experts will be deployed for assessment of the situation and then allow the heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) to pass through the ghat in a month's period. Meanwhile, the NHAI has approved an estimate of Rs 5 crore to undertake the emergency works on top priority.
NHAI Manager (technical) Mahesh Patil said, " The landslides took place at eight different locations in the ghat section of Dhule-Solapur National Highway 211. It started at 2 am on Tuesday (August 31). Acting upon the alert, the NHAI and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) deployed the teams to remove the debris on a war-footing basis. We also used different types of machines including eight earthmovers. It took us three days to clear the debris."
Construction of carriageway soon
" From today (September 4) we have started the construction of parapet or compound wall. The height of the wall is 24 metres, length is 180 metres and width is 1 metre. The total length of the road passing through the ghat section is 10 km. The landslides were held at different locations. Hence the total length of the affected road is 2 km. Of the total existing carriageway, a portion of 2 metres wide has washed away, while the available width of 5-6 metres is insufficient for LMVs vehicles to pass through. Hence, after the compound wall, the construction of the damaged carriageway will be undertaken on priority. We are hoping to complete all these works by September 10. Then on a trial basis, we will allow LMVs to pass through the ghat. Later on, a team of experts will be deployed for assessment and probably after a month, the route will be thrown open for heavy motor vehicles (HMVs)," explained Mahesh Patil adding that the works are going on under the guidance of the NHAI project director (and general manager) Arvind Kale.
NHAI approves estimate of works valuing Rs 5 cr
Patil also confirmed that the office has approved an estimate of Rs 5 crore to undertake various works and tackle the emergency as they are going to be done on a war-footing basis. The contractor of an old tender in the ghat section has been pressed on the task to avoid waste of time in tender processing, he said.
Presently, all LMVs and HMVs coming from Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and other states towards Marathwada are routed through surface road (bypassing the ghat) from Chalisgaon-Nandgaon-Aurangabad. Meanwhile, the vehicles had to travel a distance of 20 km extra to reach Aurangabad.