Threat of more landslips looms, traffic diverted
JogindernagarMandi and MandiAut sections closed, dist admn advises people to take the MandiKullu route via Kalota to reach Manali
SHIMLA :Due to incessant rains in the region, many sites have become vulnerable to landslides, especially in Mandi district. After a landslide on Chandigarh-Manali highway near Hanogi Mata temple on Saturday, the district administration has diverted the traffic.
After a massive landslide on Mandi-Pathankot highway that swept around 200-metre patch of the road, traffic has been diverted via Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kamand, which is almost 10-kilometre lengthy than the usual route. After the landslide hit the road, traffic was diverted around 3 am.
The Mandi district administration has closed the Mandi-Aut section of the Chandigarh-Manali highway. In a notification, the district administration has advised people to take the MandiKullu route via Kalota. Also the Jogindernagar-Mandi section of the Pathankot- Mandi National highway has been closed.
The Chandigarh-Manali highway, which is a common route for tourists visiting Himachal Pradesh, has become vulnerable to more landslides. In last one week, around 10 incidents of landslides have occurred on the road, particularly near Hanogi Mata Temple (43 km from Mandi town). On Saturday, the landslide hit a vehicle in which three people were injured.
On this route, around 20-30 incidents of landslide are reported every year, especially in winters, a police official said.
Meanwhile, Mandi deputy commissioner (DC) Sandeep Kadam said to avoid any tragedy, vehicular traffic has been diverted. “Vehicles will go via Kamand. Left diversion will take travellers to Jogindernagar while the right diversion will them Bajaura near Kullu via Sarkaghat,” he said. This route is around 15-18 kilometres more than that of the normal route.
Moreover, boulders falling on the Chandigarh-Manali highway have damaged vehicles besides claiming lives in the past.
BAD NEWS FOR
TOURISM INDUSTRY
Since the traffic has been diverted in the wake of landslide threat, tourists are facing a tough time.
The new route (ChandigarhManali via Sarkaghat) is congested and Volvos can’t ply on this route. However, tourism business operator Sandeep Singh said around 100 Volvos reach Manali daily and now they have to look for an alternate. “We have been getting cancellation of bookings regularly,” he said.