Heavy rain, landslides wreak havoc in Himachal, tourists most affected

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

The potential of landslides at Pandoh and other susceptible portions remains a day after traffic on the Chandigarh-Manali national highway was resumed, as the meteorological department issued an orange alert warning of heavy to very heavy rain in ten districts of Himachal Pradesh. Bilaspur, Chamba, Hamirpur, Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, Shimla, Solan, Una, and Sirmaur were all declared safe.

Hundreds of commuters, largely tourists, were delayed on the route for 22 hours till Monday evening when heavy rains produced landslides near Pandoh, 40 kilometres from Mandi town. Because there were no motels nearby, many people, including women and children, were forced to spend the night in automobiles and buses.

The Hindustan Times quoted Rajender Singh, a tourist from Ghaziabad, as saying that he along with his family had planned a five-day trip to Manali but two days were wasted en route at Mandi.

“I learnt that this stretch of the highway is prone to landslides. Why can’t the authorities take preventive steps and alert in visitors in advance?” he said.

Another tourist, Govind Kumar, told The Hindustan Times that dhaba owners in Pandoh made a fast buck by hiking the cost of food items. “They charged ₹20 per chapatti and ₹170 for a plate of dal,” he said.

A Gujarati tourist, Vivek Patel, described being stranded on the highway as a “nightmarish experience”.
The route was blocked on Sunday evening and partially reopened after 22 hours. The alternate route through Kataula-Kamand was also blocked, leaving tourists trapped. The traffic bottlenecks on both sides extended for 15 km.

Soumya Sambasivan, Superintendent of Police in Mandi, claimed about 5,000 vehicles were stranded at various points along the route.

“Kudos to all officials of Mandi Police who worked for 24×7 to ensure the restoration of traffic. We are thankful to tourists and local residents for their patience and for obeying traffic rules,” The Hindustan Times quoted her as saying.

Meanwhile, the state administration has advised tourists and residents to avoid needless travel and to avoid places near rivers and landslides.

“When travelling in hilly areas, particularly upper Shimla, Kinnaur, Mandi, Kullu, Lahaul and Spiti, and Chamba districts,” the Himachal Pradesh Police Traffic, Tourist and Railways (TTR) wing advised.

RS Bali, chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC), advised travellers to retain their GPS location on their phones, use recommended routes, and drive gently, especially when visibility is limited owing to mist.

Rain is expected across the state until July 1, according to the meteorological service. For the past five days, a yellow alert has been issued for heavy rain, lightning, and thunderstorms.

« Back to Page

• Passengers advised to verify plans ahead of storm Gerrit’s arrival

• The UAE under heavy rains and thunderstorms

• Ciarán kills 7 and injures dozens

• Flood warnings in place as UK braces for heavy rain

• Somerset travel warning as heavy rain causes flooding