Chief Minister, Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal will inaugurate the double lane bridge over river Beas at Harssipatan on Mandi- Rewalsar- Rakhoto- Sarkaghat- Sandhol- Jawalamukhi road in Kangra district on 30th June, 2011. This bridge will script a new beginning in the lives of over 50,000 persons of three districts viz Kangra, Mandi and Hamirpur.
The work on this 214 meter double lane bridge was started in the year 2002 and has been constructed at a cost of Rs 17.69 crore. Interestingly, the DPR of the bridge for 781 lakh was approved during the last tenure of the BJP Government in the year 2002 but no progress was made in the years that followed. In view of the escalation, another DPR of Rs 865.10 lakh was approved in the year 2009. It has been made possible due to the endeavours of the present Government that the construction work was expedited and bridge could see light of the day. The bridge has a 7.5 mt carriage way with 1.50 mt footpath on both sides.
With the construction of this bridge, the long cherished demand of the population of over 50,000 has been fulfilled. Besides providing connectivity to 16 Panchayats of Sandhol, surrounding area of Mandi, 4 Panchayats of Jangal Beri and Kakkar area of Hamirpur district and 3 Panchayats of Jaisinghpur in Kangra district, this bridge will be a harbinger of socio-economic development of this area.
Earlier people of this area had to undertake an arduous journey of 95 km while going from Sandhol to Dharamshala via Sujanpur, the construction of this bridge will shorten the distance by about 20 km via Jaisinghpur. Bridges are symbols of connection, of cooperation and of harmony and this bridge will ensure mobility of people residing in the border areas of these 3 districts.
