As rains subside in Himachal, traffic on key highways restored
SHIMLA/DHARAMSHALA: A day after downpours and flashfloods left a trail of destruction in the state, the rain took a pause on Tuesday. The restoration work was on full swing across Himachal and the authorities managed to restore traffic on almost all major roads, including Chandigarh-shimla, Chamba-pathankot and Chandigarh-manali national highways, an official said.
On Monday, heavy rain across the state claimed 18 lives while landslides led to traffic blockade on 923 road links and a dozen bridges were also damaged. There were fresh landslides on Tuesday near Solan and vehicles parked on the roadsides were buried under the debris.
Police teams were deployed in strength between Parwanoo and Solan on the Chandigarh-shimla route. “We have diverted traffic on alternative routes, traffic movement is very slow on the highway,” said Solan superintendent of police Madhusudan Sharma.
However, landslides at several places also hit the supply of daily commodities to Shimla. “It took us more than six hours from Chandigarh to reach Dharampur,” said Angrez Singh, a tempo traveller driver.
A statement issued by the Northern Railways stated that the landslides blocked tracks at more than 24 locations, leading to suspension of all trains to and fro. “Fresh hill slips are taking place. These sites were inaccessible by roads making the restoration work difficult,” it said.
Railways has deputed officials on special duty to monitor the situation.
Services on the Kalka-shimla rail line -- a world heritage site -was restored while services on the Pathankot-jogindernagar narrow gauge rail link was disrupted due to landslides on various locations .
Divisional railway manager, Firozpur, Vivek Sharma, said all trains running on the track have been suspended.