Himachal Chamba villagers use ropes to commute on 80-degree mountain slope -

Shimla, Aug 8,

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In Himachal Pradesh’s Chamba district, residents of Grounda Panchayat have been living a mountaineer’s life—not out of choice, but sheer necessity. With no road, no footpath, and no mule track left, the only way in or out is up or down a near-vertical mountainside, clinging to ropes.

The Panchayat, home to around 500 people in the villages of Grounda, Dhardi and Khanar, lost its mule road two months ago during the construction of a new 20-kilometre link from Bajol in Holi to Bara Bhangal. That mule track had been their lifeline to Holi town, 6 km away. Since its collapse, villagers had been walking on foot to Holi to buy rations. But a week ago, heavy monsoon rains and ongoing roadwork wiped out even this temporary path.

Now, the mountainside—sloped at 75 to 80 degrees—has become their only escape route. A rope has been fixed along the rock face, and people, from schoolchildren to elderly women, are hauled or lowered daily in a precarious commute that resembles a climbing expedition more than a village walk.

“During the road construction, the hill collapsed over a stretch of more than 50 metres, cutting off our connection to the outside world,” said Panchayat Pradhan Seema Devi. “We have no option but to climb with ropes.”

Two months without supplies, four months without electricity
With no road access, the transport of ration on mules has stopped. Many homes have already run out of food essentials. For the past four months, there has been no electricity either—poles were uprooted during roadwork and never reinstalled. Mobile phones lie discharged, radios silent, and televisions blank.

The blackout has also stalled government and private construction. Cement, iron rods, and sand cannot be brought in, halting work on homes and public projects. Even water supply schemes have been hit. As of August 7, official figures show 244 water schemes and 452 roads remain disrupted across Himachal Pradesh, while 861 power distribution transformers are out of service.

“Repair the road or build an alternative”
Former Panchayat head Rajiv Kumar has urged the administration to restore access urgently. “Our ration is running out. The road must be repaired quickly so movement can return to normal,” he said.

Public Works Department XEN Satpal Singh, who recently took charge, assured action. “The construction company will be instructed to rebuild this stretch at the earliest. We will also ask the staff to explore an alternative route to avoid such hardships,” he stated.

Noteworthy that the Grounda Panchayat lies close to the remote Bara Bhangal region of Kangra district—among the most isolated parts of Himachal. While the new road project aims to connect Bajol in Holi to Bara Bhangal, only 6 km of the planned 20 km stretch has been completed so far. For Grounda’s residents, this incomplete link has instead become a barrier, turning everyday life into a high-altitude endurance test.

Until the road returns, the people of Grounda will keep climbing, not for adventure, but survival.

Himachalscape bureau

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The HimachalScape Bureau comprises seasoned journalists from Himachal Pradesh with over 25 years of experience in leading media conglomerates such as The Times of India and United News of India. Known for their in-depth regional insights, the team brings credible, research-driven, and balanced reportage on Himachal’s socio-political and developmental landscape.

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