India’s longest steel bridge on Manali-Leh highway to open soon

After opening Atal Tunnel for public traffic last weekend, Himachal Pradesh is now ready to inaugurate the longest bridge on the Manali-Leh highway this month. Besides improving the flow of traffic, the new bridge, Barsi Bridge, is expected to prove helpful in increased load carrying ability.

The bridge, spanning 360 m, took around 10 years to be ready for use. The difficulties arose during the construction in the form of difficult terrain, limited working season and inclement weather due to the winter season.
Barsi Bridge runs over Bhaga river at Darcha and is the second longest bridge in the country; the first one being Col Chewang Rinchen Setu on Shyok river, enroute world’s highest landing ground in Ladakh at Daulat Beg Oldie. Darcha is located in Lahaul region, about 33 kms ahead of Keylong, at a height of 11020 ft. It is the last permanent settlement on this route in the state.
News has it that the bridge is a steel truss structure, and has a load-bearing super structure made of a rigid assembly of steel beams. The bridge has abutments on both the ends and additionally, the length is held by five piers emerging from the river bed.
The project has been accomplished by 70 Road Construction Company of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) that has also constructed the 100 m steel truss bridge that links the north gate of Atal Tunnel under the Rohtang Pass.