Riyund Khud Bridge On Mataur Shimla Four Lane Highway To Open By September

Kangara : The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has announced that the highly anticipated and strategic Riyund Khud Bridge, located on the Mataur–Shimla four-lane highway, is slated to open for vehicular traffic by September 1. This crucial update hinges on construction moving forward smoothly without any severe monsoon disruptions or unforeseen technical challenges.  The construction of the highway bridge has officially entered its final phases. NHAI engineering teams have successfully laid massive steel spans over one key section, while structural reinforcement and framework setup on the remaining segments are advancing rapidly. Standing on imposing 62-meter-high concrete pillars, the engineering marvel features two separate steel spans measuring approximately 60 meters each. Round-the-clock shift rotations have been deployed at the site to lock in the timeline.  The project execution path wasn't entirely smooth; complex mountain terrain and unstable soil profiles forced designers to fundamentally modify the bridge blueprints twice, triggering a cumulative delay of nearly a year. Despite these geological hurdles, the authority is confident about hitting the updated late-summer deadline.  Once open to the public, the infrastructure combo will fundamentally overhaul regional transit dynamics. Commuters driving from the Kachhiari bypass toward Kangra will transition smoothly through the newly constructed Daulatpur tunnel directly onto the Riyund Khud Bridge. The operationalization of this section will slash the overall driving distance between Kachhiari and Ranital from 20 kilometers down to just 15 kilometers. Built at an estimated budget of ₹1,100 crore, the model highway stretch will optimize traffic distribution, curtail fuel emissions, and guarantee structural safety for travelers entering the scenic Kangra valley