Dharamshala: Incessant rains for the past two days in the area have forced the authorities to close the Chakki river bridge near Pathankot connecting HP by road on NH 154 of Pathankot –Mandi section for traffic once again today.
In a letter written to DC Kangra at Dharamsala and DC Pathankot, Col. Anil Sen , Project director NHAI said that due to incessant rain the flow and volume of Chakki river has increased to its maximum damaging the garlanding work around pillar one and two foundation of Chakki road bridge. Hence it is requested to close the bridge for traffic with immediate effect citing the safety of the bridge and commuters.
This Chakki Highway bridge was closed earlier too on August 25 due to scouring of its foundation and has been reopened for light traffic, was reopened for two-wheelers and light passenger vehicles 18 days after it was closed for traffic due to a flood causing excessive scouring of its foundation on September 12 this year.
A colonial-era railway bridge on the Pathankot-Joginderngar narrow gauge line was also washed away on August 20 after multiple cloudbursts in the region caused flooding in the Chakki rivulet, while the highway bridge was closed for traffic.
Arvind Sharma is an award winning bi-lingual journalist with more than 20 years of experience.
He has worked with Divya Himachal, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhasker, Vir Partap, Ajit and PTI.
In 2010, he was conferred the Himachal Kesri journalism award. He reports on the Tibetan Government in Exile, politics, sports, tourism and other topics. He lives in Dharamshala.
