New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) The government on Thursday clarified that a road surface cave-in observed on the Delhi-Dehradun Economic Corridor was the result of localised water stagnation following rainfall, coupled with constraints in commissioning the permanent cross-drainage system at the location.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) observed a road surface cave-in observed at Km 55+480 on the Delhi–Dehradun Economic Corridor during routine route patrolling in the early hours on July 1.

The project team detected the affected stretch and immediately initiated restoration works.

The damaged portion was repaired on priority, ensuring safe and uninterrupted movement of traffic, said Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

To address the situation, NHAI has initiated construction of an interim parallel drain of a length of approximately 1.5 kilometres.

“The drainage gradient is being redesigned to safely convey rainwater up to the entry/exit location at Km 56+500, pending commissioning of the balancing culvert,” said the ministry.

According to the statement, the balancing culvert was designed to facilitate cross-drainage by conveying rainwater across the median and safely away from the carriageway.

However, the culvert could not be connected and commissioned because of sustained resistance from local residents, who have not permitted integration of the drainage system and have instead been using the culvert opening as a vehicular crossing.

Consequently, the intended cross-drainage arrangement has remained non-operational, leading to accumulation of rainwater along the carriageway during the heavy rainfall and the subsequent road surface cave-in, the statement added.

In addition, permanent slope protection and chute drain works at the location remain pending due to an ongoing land-related arbitration dispute.

Despite repeated efforts by NHAI, the concerned landowners have not permitted execution of these works. As a result, the permanent protection measures envisaged under the project design could not be completed at the site, said the statement.

–IANS

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