Dharamshala, Sept 9,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday carried out an extensive aerial survey of flood-battered regions in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, taking stock of the widespread destruction caused by relentless monsoon rains. With the skies finally clearing after days of downpour, rescue and relief operations have gained momentum in the disaster-affected areas.
The Prime Minister touched down at Pathankot Airbase early in the morning and boarded a helicopter to assess the scale of damage across Himachal Pradesh’s hardest-hit districts—Mandi, Kullu and Chamba. From Kangra, he conducted further aerial inspections before landing at Gaggal Airport, where Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu welcomed him.
In Dharamshala, Modi chaired a high-level review meeting with state officials and district authorities, focusing on human casualties, losses to agriculture, and damage to vital infrastructure. His visit came against the backdrop of a bomb threat at Nerchowk Medical College in Mandi, where nearly 300 patients had to be evacuated before police declared the campus secure.
The Prime Minister is also scheduled to interact with affected families in Indora, Fatehpur and Badabengal of Kangra district, before flying to Punjab and Jammu & Kashmir. At Tibbri in Gurdaspur, he will meet survivors who have lost homes and livelihoods to the floods.
Meanwhile, Punjab’s AAP-led government has submitted a demand of Rs 80,000 crore in relief to the Centre, while Himachal Pradesh has pressed for a special rehabilitation package. Both states have expressed hope that the Prime Minister’s visit will pave the way for urgent financial support to rebuild communities and restore public infrastructure.
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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.
