Long-span bridge to make Manali-Leh ride smoother

MANALI: While the 360-metre Darcha bridge, longest on the Manali-Leh highway, is to be dedicated to the nation along with the Atal Tunnel next month, a long-span bridge will come up in Bharatpur, where a flooding-prone rivulet has troubled the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) for years.
BRO has improved the condition of the Manali-Leh highway over the years due to its strategic importance, but a damaged stretch of the highway in Bharatpur has continued to be a nightmare for many years now.There are many rivulets, or nullahs on the Manali-Leh highway, which are torrential . They are colloquially called "pagal" as they experience flooding in rain, sunny days, monsoon or in any season without prior warning. Bharatpur nullah is one of them.
Bharatpur nullah becomes risky in summer and monsoon when it comes in spate and brings tonnes of debris. Vehicles are required to cross the gushing nullah and nearly 200m stretch covered with huge boulders. The highway was once fit only for four-wheel drive vehicles with high ground clearance, but has now become safe for light cars as well. However, negotiating the Bharatpur section is an ordeal for motorists.
Locals suggest travellers to leave Keylong for Sarchu or Leh early in the morning as crossing this section after noon become difficult when water level rises abnormally. The nullah swells every day when rise in temperature melts down snow on the peaks. Heavy rain also results in flooding.
Manali-Leh highway is under heavy load these days due to military convoys and goods trucks plying on it.
BRO had made many failed attempts to remove fear from the hearts of travellers by maintaining the road. Every time BRO maintains road, the devastating nullah damages it. The main challenge here is a flat valley and nullah flowing on the level of the highway.
BRO had put a small bridge over the nullah, but water flows over it. A BRO official said, “We shall build a longspan bridge here. This is the only viable option to protect the road and offer a smooth ride to travellers. Work will start next year.”