Alternative routes on Porbandar – Somnath Highway after Bhadar river bridge collapse


Porbandar

Due to collapse of 25 years old river bridge on Porbandar-Somnath coastal highway, the traffic of vehicles has been diverted by district administration to nearby old bridge on same river Bhadar.

The route diverted is on eastern side of Chikasa village which connects to Garej, Maiyari, Amipur, Bagasara, kadachh and Mocha through old river bridge.

However as per technical opinion, the old bridge is narrow and may witness accident if heavy vehicles pass through it. Therefore heavy vehicles are prohibited to use this bridge. State Transport buses however may pass through this bridge but extra fare of additional 20 kms will be added.

Heavy vehicles other than state transport buses will need to travel through Kutiyana-Maiyari-Mocha. This will add 61 km distance. All private buses, trucks and other heavy vehicles will need to take this route as their travel on old Bhadar bridge connecting Chikasa-Garej has been prohibitted.

The district administration has identified three alternate routes for vehicles.


From Porbandar side:

Diversion from Chikasa which is 30 km away from Porbandar will take vehicles to old bridge on river Bhadar and through that Garej and Ratiya where 7 km road stretch is not carpeted. It will meet coastal highway on other side of river Bhadar.

Diversion from Chikasa village and road to old Bhadar bridge, Garej, Maiyari, Amipur, Bagasara, Kadachh and Mocha on coastal highway on other side of river Bhadar.

Porbandar to Kutiyana and later to Pasvari, Segras, Kansabad, Maiyari, Amipur, Bagasara, Kadachh and finally Mocha on coastal highway on other side of river Bhadar.

From Somnath-Madhavpur side:

Diversion has been given from Mocha village. The road will go to Kadachh, Bagasara, Amipur, Maiyari, Garej and Chikasa to connect to Narvai Mata coastal highway on other side of Bhadar river.

Diversion from Ratiya village will take vehicles to Garej village from where Narvai Mata Mandir coastal highway will be available for access on the other side of Bhadar river.

Diversion from Mocha will take vehicles to Kadachh, Bagasara, Amipur, Maiyari, Kansabad, Segras and Pasvari from where Rajkot national highway near Kutiyana will be available for access.


Challenges:

– Diversion routes are having poor roads and weak bridges. Administration is working on estimates and construction plans.

– Flooding of river Bhadar is very common every monsoon. In such periods even alternative routes will not work for many many days.

– Reconstruction of old bridge which has been collapsed will take too long time, possibly one or two years or even more. Main challenge before the government is to reconstruct this bridge as soon as possible on war foot basis.

– A 7 km stretch which is not carpeted on interior Madhavpur side will need urgent carpeting.

– Upcoming monsoon will force break in any kind of repair or construction work. Monsoon generally begins in later half of June.

– DeshGujarat