Work on making Katraj tunnel hillsides safe begins

Pune: Road users can expect safer rides during the four months of the monsoon at the landslide-prone hilly stretch near the new Katraj tunnel on Pune-Bengaluru national highway. Highway authorities have started safety works to prevent loosening and rolling of rocks on the road.
The entire stretch near the new Katraj tunnel is surrounded by steep hills.Rocky patches close to the road are now being covered by guniting the portions of rocks which will restrict loosening of soil and boulders. Machinery and cranes have been deployed at the site. The work which began a few days ago is expected to get over before the arrival of the monsoon, sources in the highway department said.
For frequent users of the highway, loosening of the boulders and accumulation of rain water on the Kartaj tunnel stretch are common.
Many said they faced road closures in heavy rain because of rolling down of boulders on the roads or small landslides. These instances have led to fatalities.
In a tragic accident three years ago, a car with a woman and a girl was swept away near the tunnel by the gushing rain water because there were no channels along the road.
Vishakha Wadekar, her daughter Sanskruti and three other relatives were returning to Pune from Mahabaleshwar when the family met with an accident.
The administration has said adequate measures have been planned to avoid any more repeats this monsoon.
Sources in the administration said the ongoing work will cover most vulnerable spots along the highway. Some patches have been identified near Jambhulwadi village (about one km from the tunnel) which are prone to loosening of boulders.
These patches will also undergo guniting in the last phase of ] work which includes applying a cement coat over the sensitive portions of rocks to restrict them from rolling downhill. The tunnel was constructed as an alternative to road users in Katraj ghat.
Apparao Joshi, who often travels between Pune and Shirval, said the hills along the road requires safety measures.
"Every six months one can spot some activity at the hilltop. This could lead to loosening of soil. The administration should keep a close watch on such activities and carry out maintenance works regularly," Joshi said.
Meanwhile, the entire stretch from Jambhulwadi to Katraj tunnel will have adequate water channels for free flow of rainwater without any obstacles. The local authorities have also planned a drive to remove roadside encroachments and illegal food joints that could obstruct water flow.