Sanjha Morcha

Rock bolt technology successfully treating active landslide zones in Uttarakhand: BRO

The Australian technology is being used to treat the zones in Raturisera and Bandarkot on Gangotri highway

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The rock bolt technology is successfully treating active landslide zones in the hilly areas of Uttarakhand, an official of the Border Roads Organisation said here on Saturday.

Landslides occurred almost regularly in the hill areas of the state, especially during the monsoon season, blocking roads and causing inconvenience to Chardham pilgrims, and often claiming lives, he said. Active landslide zones on the Gangotri and Yamunotri highways had been a major issue for the Chardham pilgrims as well as locals for years, the official said.

The Australian rock bolt technology is being used at present in the treatment of active landslide zones in Raturisera and Bandarkot on Gangotri highway in Uttarkashi district, BRO Commander Vivek Srivastava said.

The technology was used earlierin the treatment of Nalupani and Chungi Badethi landslide zones, which had long been active along the highway and the good results at the two points encouraged authorities to apply it elsewhere too, he said.

The technology was 90 per cent effective in preventing landslides, the BRO official said.

In the widening work done under the Chardham road project, landslide zones active for years have been treated successfully with this technology. The same technique was now being used in Raturisera and Bandarkot, he said. The official said Rs 19.8 crore was being spent on the work in Raturisera and Rs 9.3 crore in Bandarkot.

The target was to complete landslide treatment work at both places using the technology by March next year, he said. This was an Australian technique that involved removing loose landslide debris by soil nailing in soil and rock bolting in bedrock, he said.