Tolls continue, but trouble persists on Parwanoo–Dharampur “four-lane” stretch -

Shimla/Solan, June 30,

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Even as the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) continues to charge toll on the Parwanoo–Dharampur section of NH-5, commuters are left battling landslides, single-lane bottlenecks, and long traffic jams every monsoon. The so-called four-lane highway has once again turned into a muddy, debris-filled mess near Chakki Mod, a stretch notorious for landslides year after year. Over Sunday and Monday, social media was flooded with visuals of stranded vehicles and rain-triggered landslips, with one user terming the area a “virtual debris dal-dal”. Former Deputy Mayor of Shimla posted on X (formerly Twitter) that traffic was crawling for over an hour, having barely moved only 10km in two hours before reaching the vulnerable point.

“Do we really require these many cars in the #mountains, ” stated the message. Adding. ” It’s been more than 2 hours, the traffic has moved just 10 km from #Dharampur to #Parwanoo….One can feel the agony of Europe & Japanese – “we don’t want so many tourists”.
#Shimla & other hill towns in utter chaos,” stated the leftist former Dy Mayor.

This problem is not new. In August 2023, a major landslide at the same location blocked traffic for hours, forcing authorities to divert vehicles and clear debris well into the night. Similarly, in July 2022, incessant rains led to partial collapse of the hillside in the same zone, halting vehicles for nearly 12 hours. Even in 2021, a cloudburst in the Solan region triggered slope failures that left thousands of commuters stranded between Parwanoo and Koti Tunnel. Each year, the story repeats—with little more than temporary patchwork attempted in the aftermath.

Despite these recurring hazards, toll collection has continued uninterrupted. In response to growing public outrage, the Himachal Pradesh High Court had taken suo motu cognizance of the situation in 2021 and again in 2023, questioning NHAI over the poor condition of the road despite the toll revenue. In a sharp rebuke, the Court had observed that mere four-laning on paper meant little if the highway failed to deliver year-round motorability. It had asked NHAI to submit a time-bound plan to address repeated landslides and ensure the safety of commuters. But even after these judicial directions, the road has remained vulnerable, with the same stretches turning into hazardous zones every monsoon.

Steep hill cutting and inadequate drainage are cited as major contributors to the problem. Experts have consistently warned that the exposed vertical slopes created during road widening have weakened the hillside’s natural stability. Rainwater seeping into these cuts without proper exit routes accelerates surface erosion, triggering slides during every spell of heavy rain. While NHAI did announce in May 2025 that it would undertake slope protection at 83 points along the Parwanoo–Solan stretch—including Chakki Mod—using green mesh, soil anchors, and retaining structures, the work is still in progress, and commuters say the worst-hit spots continue to remain exposed.

Despite repeated promises and judicial nudges, the condition of this highway raises pressing concerns about accountability, safety, and the basic principle of value for money. For thousands who travel frequently between Shimla and Chandigarh, the highway remains a monsoon nightmare, even as they pay for a four-lane facility that struggles to stay open and functional through the rains.

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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