Himachal govt plans to build underwater tunnel in Govind Sagar Lake: Minister

Bilaspur (HP), Dec 16 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh government is exploring a proposal for building an underwater tunnel in Gobind Sagar Lake to connect Bilaspur city to four-lane road between Kiratpur and Manali, said Technical Education Minister Rajesh Dharmani on Monday.

Interacting with a group of reporters here, he said the tunnel will be built from Luhnu Maidan to the four-lane road. If the plan becomes fruitful, it will not only prove to be a lifesaver for Bilaspur city but will also be the first bridge in the country to be built inside a lake.

Govind Sagar Lake reservoir in Una and Bilaspur districts of Himachal Pradesh is about 56 km in length and 3 km in breadth.

After the construction of Kiratpur-Manali four-lane road, Bilaspur city has lost its connection with the main road. This has resulted in the slowing down of economic activities here. Construction of the bridge will also provide a new path to traders and industrialists.

The underwater tunnel bridge will not only connect the city directly to the four-lane road but it will also become a centre of attraction for tourists. If there are possibilities of bridge construction, experts and consultants from Germany will be hired for the ambitious project, he said.

"The bridge will be constructed using Germany's advanced immersion tunnel technology and tunnel boring machine. In immersion tunnel technology, parts of the tunnel will be built on land and installed under the lake.

"It will be made safe and durable by digging below the lake bed with a tunnel boring machine," he said.

A team of experts will be formed to assess the possibilities of the project. If the plan is found to be feasible, it will be proposed for budget under the Setu Bharatam scheme of the central government. Several hundred crore rupees are estimated to be spent on the project, the minister said.

Keeping in mind the environmental balance, advanced and sustainable German technology will be used in this project which will write the story of the revival of Bilaspur, Dharmani.

If this project comes to fruition, it will become an example not only for the state but also for the entire country, he added. PTI COR BPL KSS KSS