Shimla/Manali, March 12: With the mighty Beas River repeatedly unleashing its fury over the past few years, the Himachal Pradesh Jal Shakti Department now appears to be fighting with its back to the wall in Manali, scrambling to strengthen flood protection works before the coming monsoon.
The urgency comes after devastating floods twice in the last three years exposed the fragile defenses along the riverbanks. What has further complicated matters is the rapidly shifting course of the Beas, which has begun eating into vulnerable stretches around Manali.
Reviewing the situation on Thursday, Secretary for Jal Shakti, Finance, Planning and Economics Dr. Abhishek Jain inspected flood-protection works in the Manali Assembly constituency and stressed the need for scientifically designed and time-bound interventions.
Dr. Jain conducted a spot inspection from the Atal Tunnel stretch down to Kullu along the Beas river to assess the scale of damage and the ongoing protection works. Officials briefed him on vulnerable locations where the river has been steadily changing its alignment over the years.
At the Potato Ground in Manali, the Secretary reviewed flood protection work currently underway. He also inspected a 400-metre flood protection wall near Kalath Old Age Home, which has recently been completed to shield nearby habitations from the river’s rising waters.
However, the scale of the challenge is far from over. Officials informed the Secretary that flood control works worth ₹8 crore are underway across a 700-metre stretch, while another ₹30-crore project covering 2,100 metres is under execution and targeted for completion before April 15. Authorities have also proposed dredging at 11 locations along the Beas to reduce the risk of flooding.
The Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department is also carrying out protection works worth ₹24 crore across an 800-metre stretch, of which ₹15 crore worth of work has already been completed, officials said during the review meeting.
Despite these measures, officials privately admit the race is against time. With the Beas known to swell unpredictably during heavy rains, the structural defenses now being built will soon face their real test when the river runs in full spate during the monsoon.
Dr. Jain directed all departments to complete the remaining works by June, warning that vulnerable areas must be secured before the monsoon arrives.
He also ordered monthly review meetings under the chairmanship of the Deputy Commissioner, with participation from all key departments including the National Highways Authority of India, while he himself will chair periodic reviews at the Secretary level to monitor progress.
Among those present in the meeting were SDM Manali Raman Sharma, Superintending Engineer (Jal Shakti) Vinod Thakur, and officials from the Public Works Department, Municipal Council and other departments.
Yet, for residents along the Beas, the question remains whether the hurriedly reinforced embankments will be enough to tame a river that has been steadily reclaiming its space in the valley.
