Catastrophe washes away Uttarakhand infrastructure
Updated: Jun 24, 2013 01:40:16pm
From Swati Dayal
Dehradun, June 24 (KNN) The devastating floods in Uttarakhand which has claimed the lives of thousands of people, has washed away the infrastructure in the five badly affected districts of the state, leaving no signs of existence of buildings, bridges, roads etc.
According to the state government, 147 bridges have been completely destroyed by the heavy rains in the state and over 1,300 roads in different locations have suffered massive damage, disconnecting the place with other cities.
The five cities which are affected worst by the flood are Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chalomi, Tehri and Padhi.
The State Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya said that it will be an uphill task to reconstruct the road network, which stands shattered in the heavy rains and floods.
According to an official notification, Rudraprayag-Gaurikund road is the worst affected road in Uttarakhand. Presently the road from Rudraprayaga side has been cleared upto 15 km. Now efforts are on to clear the road between km 15 to 35.
The bridge at Rawanganga was also damaged which has since been repaired. Border Road Organization (BRO) has also helped in clearing many lateral roads on this axis to help people to evacuate through alternate routes.
Meanwhile, the road from Jauljibi – Munsiyari is closed due to major breaches at about 10 locations. Total road breached is more than 3.5 Km.
About 10 km road has been cleared, both from Jauljibi and Munsiari side. Foot track connectivity has been established in the most of the road portion for transportation of ration and general public.
Many other lateral roads with BRO in Uttarakhand have also suffered extensive damages and are closed. But, the focus will shift to these roads only when the major axis is open.
The roads from Rishikesh to Dharasu to Uttarkashi to Gangotri were also severly damaged. However, road up to Uttarkashi is open for all traffic. Beyond Uttarkashi there are major breaches in roads at many locations. Road clearance work has also been started from Gangotri side and road has been opened up to Harshil. Efforts are on to open the road between Uttarkashi and Harshil which has suffered major damages.
Furthermore, the roads from Rishikesh-Joshimath-Badrinath-Mana have been opened upto Govindghat. There are major breaches beyond Govindghat. 50 m bridge at Lambagarh has been washed away. Efforts are on to link the road from both Govindghat and Badrinath sides. Efforts are also on to make a foot bridge across river Alaknanda for speedy evacuation of stranded passengers from Badrinath and Hemkund Saheb area.
Moreover, the roads in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh have also suffered severe damage. The roads Wangthu-Pooh and Pooh-Kaurik on charge of BRO are damaged extensively and are closed. The roads have been partly cleared here.
The roads in Himachal have suffered major damages affecting about 4 km of road at about 80 places. Road axis Sumdo-Kaza-Grampu has since been opened.
The road rehabilitation programmes have been taken up by the BRO in the state. The BRO has already pressed 4,000 men into action at various areas, with bulldozers and other equipment.
The big challenge before the BRO men will be to restore roads and bridges in the highly fragile zones of Gangotri and Badrinath, where landslides are frequent during the monsoon.
The BRO officials said that the roads suffer huge damages every year and are rebuilt. But this time, the loss is enormous, so the first task will be to restore connectivity on the roads of the Char dham yatra circuit, which might take one-two years.
Uttarakhand Industries Association President Pankaj Gupta told KNN that, “the prime focus as this time is to save lives. The infrastructure is completely washed away. As far the small units are concerned, there are no signs of their existence.”
Besides roads and bridges, a series of under-construction hydel projects have been damaged in the Rudraprayag area, which belongs to companies like L&T Hydro, Lanco Group and UJVN Ltd according to a media report.
A government official said that hotel buildings, particularly in Uttarakashi, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts have been destroyed completely.
The state tourism minister Amrita Rawat said that the losses of the tourism sector are immense and it will take a long time to assess the situation.
The state which has more number of tourists visiting than its total population has employment mainly in the tourism sector- directly and indirectly.
“There is massive loss to human lives and infrastructure. Roads, buildings, small hotels, guest houses have been washed away completely in the affected area,” said an official from the state tourism development board.
Natural calamities are common in Uttarakhand, which lies in the fragile mountain belt of the Himalayas and has experienced tectonic turmoil several times in the past. (KNN)
Dehradun, June 24 (KNN) The devastating floods in Uttarakhand which has claimed the lives of thousands of people, has washed away the infrastructure in the five badly affected districts of the state, leaving no signs of existence of buildings, bridges, roads etc.
According to the state government, 147 bridges have been completely destroyed by the heavy rains in the state and over 1,300 roads in different locations have suffered massive damage, disconnecting the place with other cities.
The five cities which are affected worst by the flood are Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, Chalomi, Tehri and Padhi.
The State Disaster Management Minister Yashpal Arya said that it will be an uphill task to reconstruct the road network, which stands shattered in the heavy rains and floods.
According to an official notification, Rudraprayag-Gaurikund road is the worst affected road in Uttarakhand. Presently the road from Rudraprayaga side has been cleared upto 15 km. Now efforts are on to clear the road between km 15 to 35.
The bridge at Rawanganga was also damaged which has since been repaired. Border Road Organization (BRO) has also helped in clearing many lateral roads on this axis to help people to evacuate through alternate routes.
Meanwhile, the road from Jauljibi – Munsiyari is closed due to major breaches at about 10 locations. Total road breached is more than 3.5 Km.
About 10 km road has been cleared, both from Jauljibi and Munsiari side. Foot track connectivity has been established in the most of the road portion for transportation of ration and general public.
Many other lateral roads with BRO in Uttarakhand have also suffered extensive damages and are closed. But, the focus will shift to these roads only when the major axis is open.
The roads from Rishikesh to Dharasu to Uttarkashi to Gangotri were also severly damaged. However, road up to Uttarkashi is open for all traffic. Beyond Uttarkashi there are major breaches in roads at many locations. Road clearance work has also been started from Gangotri side and road has been opened up to Harshil. Efforts are on to open the road between Uttarkashi and Harshil which has suffered major damages.
Furthermore, the roads from Rishikesh-Joshimath-Badrinath-Mana have been opened upto Govindghat. There are major breaches beyond Govindghat. 50 m bridge at Lambagarh has been washed away. Efforts are on to link the road from both Govindghat and Badrinath sides. Efforts are also on to make a foot bridge across river Alaknanda for speedy evacuation of stranded passengers from Badrinath and Hemkund Saheb area.
Moreover, the roads in the neighbouring state of Himachal Pradesh have also suffered severe damage. The roads Wangthu-Pooh and Pooh-Kaurik on charge of BRO are damaged extensively and are closed. The roads have been partly cleared here.
The roads in Himachal have suffered major damages affecting about 4 km of road at about 80 places. Road axis Sumdo-Kaza-Grampu has since been opened.
The road rehabilitation programmes have been taken up by the BRO in the state. The BRO has already pressed 4,000 men into action at various areas, with bulldozers and other equipment.
The big challenge before the BRO men will be to restore roads and bridges in the highly fragile zones of Gangotri and Badrinath, where landslides are frequent during the monsoon.
The BRO officials said that the roads suffer huge damages every year and are rebuilt. But this time, the loss is enormous, so the first task will be to restore connectivity on the roads of the Char dham yatra circuit, which might take one-two years.
Uttarakhand Industries Association President Pankaj Gupta told KNN that, “the prime focus as this time is to save lives. The infrastructure is completely washed away. As far the small units are concerned, there are no signs of their existence.”
Besides roads and bridges, a series of under-construction hydel projects have been damaged in the Rudraprayag area, which belongs to companies like L&T Hydro, Lanco Group and UJVN Ltd according to a media report.
A government official said that hotel buildings, particularly in Uttarakashi, Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts have been destroyed completely.
The state tourism minister Amrita Rawat said that the losses of the tourism sector are immense and it will take a long time to assess the situation.
The state which has more number of tourists visiting than its total population has employment mainly in the tourism sector- directly and indirectly.
“There is massive loss to human lives and infrastructure. Roads, buildings, small hotels, guest houses have been washed away completely in the affected area,” said an official from the state tourism development board.
Natural calamities are common in Uttarakhand, which lies in the fragile mountain belt of the Himalayas and has experienced tectonic turmoil several times in the past. (KNN)
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