Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 12 Aug: Questions have arisen over the quality of safety works on the Gangotri National Highway at Sonagad and Limchagad. At Sonagad, nearly 50 metres of the safety wall constructed by the Border Roads Organisation has collapsed and has been washed away into the river. In Limchagad, the RCC and wire crate wall built below the road has also begun to sink, raising fresh concerns about the stability of the highway. The local residents have demanded a thorough investigation into construction standards.
According to the residents, the safety wall at Sonagad began to sink barely 22 days after construction. They alleged that cracks had appeared during the building process itself but the officials failed to monitor or inspect the work in time. With more than 50 metres of the wall now washed away, anxiety has grown over the safety of the highway. The local residents, recalled that last year’s disaster had swept away the Limchagad Bridge and severely damaged the road, while a large section of the highway near Sonagad was lost to the river, disrupting traffic for days. They said that reconstruction began nearly ten months after the disaster but the quality standards have not been properly observed.
The villagers further alleged that the wide safety walls at Sonagad and Limchagad were built using large round stones and excessive soil, with insufficient cement. They also claimed that in many places only the outer surface was plastered, leading to the collapse of the Sonagad wall within days. He demanded a technical investigation of the entire construction and strict action against those found responsible. Meanwhile, the RCC wall and wire crate built nearly 100 metres below the highway at Limchagad have also started sinking, raising fears that the road’s stability could be compromised in future. Residents warned that unless timely safety measures are taken, the highway could suffer damage and accidents may occur during traffic movement.
BRO Commander Rajkishore confirmed that information had been received about the collapse of the Sonagad wall. He said a committee is being constituted to investigate the matter and assured that if negligence is found at any level, strict action will be taken on the basis of the report.
