Dehradun: Twelve days after a 25-meter stretch of lower Mall Road in Nainital collapsed, a team of experts from three top institutes reached the lake town on Thursday to assess the situation and suggest reconstruction plans.
Nainital attracts thousands of tourists round the year and traffic management is a major issue in the town. During the peak summer season, hundreds of vehicles are seen crawling on the lower Mall Road.
The district administration has now banned movement of vehicles on the road and a few sandbags have also been placed on its edge to stop it from further sliding.
Dr Piyoosh Rautela, director of Disaster Mitigation and Management Centre (DMMC) and the head of the four-member team, said that they will provide a detailed report on the condition of the Mall Road. The report will also suggest measures for the treatment of the sliding zone.
“The work on the sliding zone will take some time as it has to be done in such a manner that it remains stable. Leakages, if any, also need to be checked,” Dr. Rautela told News18.
Besides DMMC, experts from Wadia Institute of Himalayan Technology, Central Building Research Institute and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing are also in the team of experts.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Uttarakhand High Court took suo motu cognizance on the delay of reconstruction of the road and reprimanded district magistrate Vinod Suman. The court observed that the ‘district magistrate is only interested in clicking photographs’.
The court also cited the example of Japan’s quick recovery from the damage it suffered after a disastrous tsunami.
The District Magistrate clarified that he has asked for special funds from the government.
“As per norms framed for conducting disaster-related works, I am authorised to spend only Rs 2 lakh. Therefore, I have sought funds, but it might take some more time,” DM Vinod Suman told News18.
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