DM Dr Ashish Chauhan Leads Ground-Level Inspection Amid Heavy Rainfall, Directs Swift Restoration of Roads and Bridges
Orders restoration of two-lane traffic at Mussoorie’s Paniwala Band landslide zone within 15 days
Directs immediate repair of damaged Nanda Chowki bridge approach, proposes permanent bridge at Maldevta, and instructs all departments to remain on 24×7 alert
Dehradun, July 28:
With continuous heavy rainfall lashing Dehradun district since Monday night, the district administration remained on high alert, actively monitoring the evolving situation. District Magistrate Dr Ashish Chauhan personally visited several rain-affected and vulnerable locations on Tuesday morning, conducting on-ground inspections and closely supervising relief, restoration, and emergency response operations.
Reiterating that public safety remains the administration’s highest priority during the monsoon, the District Magistrate directed officials to ensure the earliest possible restoration of damaged roads and uninterrupted movement of traffic across the district.
Immediate Action at Nanda Chowki Bridge
Upon receiving information that the approach lane of the bridge near Nanda Chowki had been damaged due to heavy rainfall, Dr Chauhan immediately rushed to the site. He instructed officials of the Public Works Department (PWD) to complete repair work and restore traffic within three hours.
Expressing displeasure over the lapse, he also ordered necessary administrative action against the concerned official for negligence. Acting on the District Magistrate’s directions, the PWD launched restoration work on a war footing to reopen the damaged lane at the earliest.
Restoration of Sauda-Sarauli and Thano Roads
The District Magistrate later inspected the rain-damaged Sauda-Sarauli Road, constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). He instructed officials to restore the road for vehicular movement on priority.
Meanwhile, the Thano Road, which had been blocked due to debris accumulation, was reopened for traffic following prompt action by the district administration.
Permanent Solution Planned for Maldevta
During his inspection of Maldevta, Dr Chauhan reviewed the recurring problem of traffic disruption caused every monsoon at the local causeway. He directed the Public Works Department to prepare and submit a proposal for the construction of a permanent bridge, aiming to eliminate the annual disruption and provide a long-term solution for residents and commuters.
Two-Lane Connectivity to Be Restored at Paniwala Band
The District Magistrate also inspected the newly formed landslide zone near Paniwala Band on Mussoorie Road, where heavy rainfall had damaged a section of the highway.
He instructed the PWD (Provincial Division) to ensure that two-lane traffic is fully restored within 10 to 15 days. Departmental officials informed him that while the two-lane carriageway would be made operational within the stipulated period, the construction of a permanent retaining wall for slope protection would take approximately two months.
Round-the-Clock Vigil Across the District
Reviewing the overall situation, Dr Chauhan directed all departments to restore rain-damaged roads and connectivity on priority. He instructed all Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs), departments associated with the Incident Response System (IRS), and other concerned agencies to remain on 24×7 alert and respond immediately to any emergency arising from the ongoing monsoon.
Public Safety is the Top Priority
The District Magistrate said that all departments must work in close coordination during the monsoon season and ensure immediate relief and restoration whenever roads are blocked or any disaster-related incident occurs.
“Our foremost responsibility is the safety and convenience of the public. Relief and restoration work must be carried out without delay so that citizens face minimum inconvenience,” he said.
Officials Present During the Inspection
During the inspection in the Raipur area, local MLA Umesh Sharma Kau, Additional District Magistrate (Finance & Revenue) K.K. Mishra, Sadar Tehsildar Surendra Dev, and PWD Executive Engineer Bhrigunath Dwivedi were present.
At the Paniwala Band inspection on Mussoorie Road, Rahul Anand, Joint Magistrate, Mussoorie, along with PWD (Provincial Division) officer Pradeep Shahi and officials from various departments, accompanied the District Magistrate during the review.
