INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
KULLU/SHIMLA: Hundreds of vehicles were stuck again as Chandigarh-Manali highway was blocked again due to a massive landslide near Aut in
Mandi district on Tuesday evening.The landslide occurred around 10.15pm, at the entrance of tunnel No
11 at Jhanogi, around 4km from Aut
The highway couldn't be reopened on Wednesday as falling rocks and boulders made it difficult to begin the road-clearance work.Only light
vehicles were allowed to move through the Bajaura-Kamand-Mandi link road, which also witnessed huge traffic jam during the day.A Mandi
district official said the possibility of reopening the highway on Wednesday was minimal
"The work on clearing the highway is on, but landslides at regular intervals are hampering the work
11 has also been damaged in the landslide
We don't know for sure when the highway will be reopened," said the official.He added that efforts were also being made to allow traffic
through another tunnel, which had got flooded recently due to a flash flood.Mandi to Kullu section of the Chandigarh-Manali highway has
remained mostly blocked since the start of monsoon due to frequent landslides, flash floods and land cave-ins in areas near Pandoh
The highway and two link roads that connect Mandi and Kullu district were blocked for three days due to landslides before being reopened on
August 26.Meanwhile, 187 roads are still blocked in Himachal Pradesh
According to the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA), 87 roads are closed in Mandi district, 27 in Shimla, 25 in Solan, 16 in Kullu
and 14 in Kangra district of the state.In Mandi district, 19 roads were blocked in Dharampur sub-division, 16 in Thalout and 12 in Seraj
A total 86 distribution transformer regions (DTRs) were also disrupted and 27 water supply schemes were to be repaired on
Wednesday.Meanwhile, in a meeting with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav and other officers on
Tuesday, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said Ghatasani-Shilh-Badhani-Bhubhu Jot tunnel should be constructed to connect Kangra with
The tunnel would not only help in promoting tourism but also be strategically important as it would shorten the distance between Kangra and
Manali by 55km, he said.He stressed upon building three major tunnels in the state
Chowari-Chamba tunnel in Chamba district and a tunnel from Bhawa valley in Kinnaur to Pin valley in Spiti would provide all-weather
connectivity to the areas besides boosting tourism activities in the region, he said.The CM asked the NHAI officials to expedite restoration
works of national highways damaged due to torrential rains and landslides in the state
He said the Mandi-Manali four-lane had suffered immense damages, especially near Pandoh
He also asked them to deploy extra manpower and officials at vulnerable points to ensure acceleration of restoration work
He said temporary refurbishment work should be completed by October 15, before Kullu Dussehra
To address the issue permanently, a tunnel under Kainchi Maur in Mandi district can be planned in the times to come, he added.Sukhu said as
the apple season was at its peak, the onus was on the government to ensure transportation of produce to markets well in time
He said after the apple season, potato crop will also be ready in Lahaul, therefore immediate action was required for timely restoration of
the national highways so that farmers did not suffer for want of proper roads.He also asked the officials to speed up the construction work
of Shimla-Mataur four lane project as it would benefit eight districts of HP
He said specific road median as per norms or max five meters, should be ensured to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the road.The CM also took
up the issue of damaged Parwanoo-Solan four lane and said vertical cutting of slopes should be avoided to ensure better stabilization of the
He said that NHAI should ensure proper disposal of water by constructing drainage and cross drainage on the highways
"The NHAI should expedite restoration work of two bridges damaged in Baddi area of Solan district due to floods as these are important for
the industrial area of Baddi, Barotiwala and Nalagarh".He demanded making the Nalagarh-Bharatgarh road as four lane, which would connect two
national highways, adding that the entire Pathankot-Mandi National Highway stretch should be made four lane in one go to avoid inconvenience
