Shimla: COVID-19 has delayed the repair work of Kullu’s damaged Bhoothnath bridge and a new target of opening it for vehicular traffic has been fixed for next year, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur informed the state assembly on Friday. Replying to a call attention motion of Kullu MLA Sunder Singh Thakur regarding delay in repair of the bridge, the CM said the it was delayed due to COVID-19 related restrictions.
The bridge is significant for the smooth flow of traffic in Kullu and also connects tourist destination Manali, he said. The state government wants to get the repair work completed at the earliest but some technical problems and COVID led to delays, Thakur added.
Now, a new target has been fixed to open the bridge after its repair by March 31, 2021, he stated on the last day of the monsoon session of the assembly. Earlier, it was supposed to be opened in June, he pointed out.
The tenders for repair were invited in April last year after the bridge had been closed for vehicular traffic in January, 2019 as it had developed cracks, he added. The company to which the repair work has been allotted submitted its design on July 3 and the work has now also been started.
Meanwhile, an alternative bailey bridge has been constructed for smooth flow of traffic, he added. Having remained opened around five years ago, the bridge near Kullu city bus stand and Bhoothnath temple was not safe for vehicular traffic.
The 96-metre-long double-lane bridge over the Beas river at Bhoothnath was constructed at a cost of Rs 10 crore and was inaugurated by then chief minister Virbhadra Singh on October 9, 2013.
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