The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has sanctioned Rs 60.18 crore for the immediate restoration and stabilisation of the severely damaged Hanogi tunnel (T4-02) and the Hanogi bridge on the Pandoh-Takoli stretch of the Kiratpur-Manali national highway in Mandi district. The decision aims to ensure safe and uninterrupted travel for commuters and heavy vehicles between Mandi, Kullu and Manali.
Emergency Works Under Change of Scope Provision
M/s Gawar Mandi Highways Pvt. Ltd., the developer of the adjoining Bijni-Mandi (Package-VB) highway project, will carry out the emergency works as ordered by the NHAI Regional Office in Shimla. Since the agency has already mobilised manpower, machinery and equipment on the adjacent road stretch, the NHAI decided to execute the works under the Change of Scope provision (Article 16) to avoid delays associated with fresh tendering and ensure faster relief to commuters.
Details of the Restoration Project
The first phase of the restoration project, valued at around Rs 60.18 crore, focuses on two structures that have been causing severe traffic disruptions. The largest component involves the permanent restoration of the right-hand-side (RHS) tube of tunnel T4-02 at an estimated cost of Rs 58.77 crore. The comprehensive package includes consolidation grouting, including polyurethane (PU) grouting, to stabilise fractured rock around the tunnel portal and the fault zone. Engineers will also drill pressure-relief and drainage holes to reduce water pressure behind the tunnel lining and surrounding slopes.
Additional measures include the installation of pre-stressed active rock anchors across the fault zone to prevent further movement, construction of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) waler beams with shotcrete, permanent steel supports using ISMB-250 ribs and steel plating, replacement of the damaged tunnel lining with fresh concrete, and restoration of road surfaces and utility ducts before reopening the tunnel to traffic.
The Hanogi bridge (right hand side) will be repaired at a cost of Rs 1.41 crore, including epoxy grouting of pile-cap foundation cracks, repair of the bridge substructure and pedestals, bearing and expansion-joint treatment, and girder lifting followed by load testing to certify the bridge’s structural safety.
Broader Corridor Restoration Programme
According to Varun Chari, Project Director, NHAI, these emergency works are part of a broader Rs 290 crore corridor restoration and stabilisation programme for the Pandoh-Takoli road section. The corridor has witnessed repeated landslides and slope failures since the devastating monsoon of 2023, forcing traffic onto a narrow section of the old highway and creating three major bottlenecks with congestion stretching nearly 4.5 km on either side.
The restoration of the right-hand side tube of the tunnel at Hanogi (T4-02) will reopen the four-lane carriageway, significantly easing traffic flow for commuters as well as heavy vehicles travelling between Mandi, Kullu and Manali. The works have been prioritised for completion before the peak monsoon season to prevent further deterioration of diversion roads and enhance public safety.
Urgency and Legal Context
Chari said that the damaged structures originally fell under the concessionaire’s scope. However, considering the urgency of restoring traffic and ensuring uninterrupted movement, the NHAI opted to entrust the work to an already deployed adjacent contractor. The condition of the corridor has also been under the consideration of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, with the NHAI emphasising that the restoration work is aimed at ensuring safe and reliable connectivity for the travelling public at the earliest.
