The newly constructed Bakhli footbridge in Bakhli, located near Pandoh within the Seraj Assembly Constituency of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh, has been opened to the public following an expenditure of Rs 86 lakh. The completion of this pedestrian bridge has brought significant relief to nearly 16 panchayats across the Seraj region. Built by the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), the bridge has successfully restored daily connectivity for local residents after months of severe disruption.
The 2025 Disaster and Severe Commuting Challenges
During the catastrophic natural disaster of 2025, two major bridges spanning the Bakhli Khadd stream in the Seraj constituency were completely washed away. These included the motorable Kuklah bridge as well as the original Bakhli footbridge. The destruction of these essential links created immense hardship for residents across approximately three dozen panchayats in the region.
Schoolchildren faced acute difficulties in reaching their educational institutions daily. Following the loss of the structures, local residents were left with only two precarious travel options: either wading across the dangerous stream on foot or enduring a multi-kilometer detour to cross via a ropeway system. Daily life and local economic activities were severely hampered as a result.
Project Timeline and Engineering Details
Providing details on the reconstruction, Chandramani Sharma, Additional Superintending Engineer at BBMB Pandoh, stated that the management sanctioned a dedicated budget of Rs 86 lakh in response to persistent demands from villagers. The engineering team completed the construction within a span of three months, and the footbridge was officially thrown open for public movement on July 20.
Engineer Chandramani Sharma highlighted that approximately 90 percent of the bridge represents entirely new structural work, with only 10 to 15 percent of the retained old foundation being utilized. He noted that while the Seraj region bore the brunt of the 2025 disaster and full recovery remains a gradual process, restoring such vital infrastructure provides immense support to affected communities. He expressed hope that work on a motorable bridge would also commence shortly.
Daily Usage and Demands for Motorable Bridge
With pedestrian traffic fully operational, vehicles are now parked on both sides of the footbridge to transport commuters onward to their respective destinations. Local residents, including Kuklah school teacher Duni Chand, student Kangana, and resident Purna Chand, expressed deep relief over the bridge restoration. They noted that approximately 500 people cross the footbridge on a daily basis.
While extending their gratitude to the BBMB management for the swift three-month turnaround, local residents urged the government to expedite the construction of a heavy motorable bridge at the location. They emphasized that building a vehicle-friendly structure is essential for restoring complete road connectivity, public transit, and commercial transport across all affected panchayats in Mandi district.
