The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) has taken up a massive road rehabilitation programme in flood-hit Uttarakhand. About 4,000 personnel are working day and night. Hundreds of bulldozers and excavators are deployed in priority areas on Rudraprayag-Gaurikund axis and Govindghat-Badrinath axis.
BRO men built a wooden footbridge and 300-metre foot tract across hard rock, which helped rescue 300 pilgrims and 2,000 mules from Gaurikund. On the Joshimath-Badrinath axis, the construction of a foot track is in progress and a readymade footbridge is being launched across river Alaknanda. It is expected that after completion of these, stranded passengers from Badrinath may also be rescued by land route. Status of several roads follows.
Rishikesh-Dharasu-Uttarkashi-Gangotri:- The rooad till Uttarkashi is open for all traffic. Beyond Uttarkashi, there are several major breaches. Road clearance work has also been started from Gangotri side and the way opened up to Harshil. Efforts are on to open the road between Uttarkashi and Harshil, which suffered huge damage.
Rishikesh-Joshimath-Badrinath-Mana:- Road has been opened up to 496 km (Govindghat). There are major breaches beyond Govindghat and a 50-metre bridge at lambagarh has been washed away. Efforts are on to link the road from both Govindghat and Badrinath sides. A foot track bypassing breach area is being built and a footbridge which was airlifted will be launched across Alaknanda for speedy evacuation of stranded passengers from Badrinath and Hemkund Saheb area.
Rudraprayag-Gaurikund:- This road is the worst affected. At present, 15 km from Rudraprayag side have been cleared. Now, efforts are on to clear the road between 15 to 35 km. The road from 35 to 70 km is generally clear. Six attack points have been opened on this road to clear the road.
Songanga Bridge at 70.30 km has been washed away. The bridge at 35.60 (Rawanganga) was also damaged but has since been repaired.
BRO has also helped in clearing many lateral roads on this axis to help people to evacuate through alternate routes. A wooden footbridge across near the damaged bridge near Songanga River and 300-m foot tract across hard rock have been made. Now, people can come freely from Gaurikund across Songanga.
Tanakpur-Pithoraghat-Tawaghat-Ghatiabagarh:- BRO has pressed in to service about 30 bulldozers and excavators. The road up to Pithoragarh is through for all traffic. Beyond this, the road is through up to 80 km. From 80 km to Tawaghat, about four km road has been breached at more than 30 locations. Road has been opened between 80 to 96 km for light vehicles.
Major breaches are at 82.50, 84.30, 97.42, 99.35, 101.80, 106 and 107 km. Two bridges are also damaged before Tawaghat at 100.57 and 102.09 kms. A 150-feet bridge at Tawaghat has also been washed away. Massive operations of road clearance have been taken up on this axis. As a first step, foot track connectivity has been established for essential communication at breached portions of roads.
Jauljibi-Munsiyari:- This axis is closed due to major breaches at about 10 locations. Total road breached is more than 3.5 km. However, efforts are on to clear the road with the help of eight Bulldozers and excavators. 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.
Himachal Pradesh:- Roads Wangthu-Pooh and Pooh-Kaurik suffered extensive damage and are closed. Roads have been partly cleared and work is on. There has been major damage on 4 km of road at about 80 places. Road axis Sumdo-Kaza-Grampu has since been opened and further improvements are in progress.