Major landslide isolates Kinnaur district in Himachal Pradesh
Shimla, Sept 8
A massive landslide occurred last night in Nigulsari, Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, severing the tribal district of Kinnaur from the rest of the country and the world. This natural disaster has resulted in the closure of the crucial Chandigarh-Shimla-Kinnaur National Highway-5, which connects the country to the Tibet border.
On behalf of Deputy Commissioner Kinnaur, Public Relation Officer Mamata Negi conformed that the landslide, which took place at approximately 11:00 pm, obliterated a substantial section of the National Highway in Nigulsari, erasing 150 to 200 meters of road.
Also read: Kinnaur district gears up for monsoon, prioritizes safety measures
Reportedly, the extent of the damage suggests that the highway’s restoration may be a lengthy and challenging process. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, as landslides had already occurred in the area on Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon, where after the road was pre-emptively closed for traffic movement on Thursday night 7PM to 5AM, Friday.
Thankfully, there have been no reported casualties, as a warning of a likelihood of a landslide was already issued.
Efforts to restore the highway are currently underway, with the local administration, NHAI and the Public Works Department (PWD) working tirelessly to address the crisis and reopen the vital transportation route. Even revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi has visited the spot to expedite quick restoration process.
Reportedly, the aftermath of these landslides has led to a traffic gridlock on the highway, with trucks loaded with apples stranded along the roadside. Apple growers in the region are facing significant challenges, especially as the apple crop in the lower areas of Kinnaur district is ripe for harvest.
Addressing this concern Minister Negi stated that the road restoration work should be completed as soon as possible so that the year-long hard work of the people of Kinnaur district can be used to deliver their crops including apples and peas to the market on time and they can get a fair price for their hard work. The minister has also asked authorities to to start a span facility in Nigulsari with immediate effect to transport the crops to the market.
The minister also inspected the situation of the blocked route through drones and asked to provide trans-shipment facilities for the convenience of the people.
Also to avoid rotting of crop traffic has been diverted via Taranda-Nigulsari route, stated PRO Negi.
Noteworthy that locals of the area have been repeatedly expressing concerns about the role of power projects causing frequent landslides in the region.
This monsoon season has witnessed multiple landslides between Rampur and Kinnaur, with a previous incident at Jhakhri also caused a blockage on the National Highway for several days.
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