Baddi bridge collapses, residents urge Solan admin to suspend toll collection (original) (raw)

Adding to the woes of the Industrial hub of Himachal, Baddi, the temporary causeway constructed on Maranwala by NHAI just a week back, got washed off due to heavy rains late on Friday.

With this, two of three links of Baddi with Panchkula have been snapped. It was in the wee hours Thursday when the main Baddi bridge also collapsed following the incessant rains in Himachal last night. While the Baddi police has now written to the Deputy Commissioner, Solan requesting for additional forces of Home guards so that the smooth flow of the traffic could be maintained on the alternative route, the locals have requested the administration to stop toll collection by the toll plaza in Baddi following the collapse of the main Baddi bridge.

Talking to The Indian Express, SP Mohit Chawla said, “While the Main Baddi Bridge completely collapsed at 3am, the temporary cause way that the NHAI had constructed few days back after the Maranwala bridge collapsed also got washed away in the wee hours on Friday. Now we are left with only internal roads.”

He added, “There are in fact two toll plazas on this entire route, the Baddi toll plaza and the Barotiwala toll plaza. In the morning we have received a number of representations from different sections of people requesting to stop the toll collection. As the commuters are now forced to take the Barotiwala route only after the other two other links of Maranwala and Main Baddi bridge having given up, the commuters have to pay the toll tax twice for the same route, which is causing lot of inconvenience and resentment among the commuters. The request of the locals to the Deputy Commissioner, Solan to stop toll collection has also been forwarded.”

DC, Solan, Manmohan Sharma said, “We have received the representation of the people from Baddi requesting the closing down the toll collection at the toll plaza as the commuters have to pay the toll twice for the same route after the other two other connecting links of Baddi gave up. I have communicated this concern to the Excise Commissioner, Shimla regarding the concern of the people and he has assured that something would be done in this regard. As for the additional force of home guards is concerned, we will consider it too”.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Baddi- Barotiwala Nalagarh Industries association ( BBNIA) met the Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Industries) Ram Kumar Chaudhary today. “The President of BBNIA, Rajiv Aggarwal said, “We met the Chief Secretary Industries today and he has assured that all possible help would be provided in this regard to restore the connectivity of this industrial town. We have also requested him to suspend the collection of toll tax at the toll barrier till the time the Baddi bridge restarts”.

While for the NHAI official said, “The main approach road of the Maranwala causeway has got washed away following last nights rain. It is for this that the traffic movement on it also got restricted. We intend to make it workable in another few days time.”

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DC, Solan Manmohan Sharma ordered the re starting of toll collection at Sanwara toll plaza. It was sometime back when the DC, Solan exercising his powers under section 34 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005 had ordered the closing of Sanwara toll plaza following the closing of Chandigarh Shimla Nationah highway NH5 at Chakki Mor.

In the orders, the copy of which is with the Indian Express, DC, Solan said, “Considering the current road condition of NH5 between Solan and Parwanoo for the last 48 hours, it is deemed appropriate for all types of vehicle movement.