Landslide sensors on Mandi highway soon

Pratibha Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 20

The district administration has started the process of installing low cost-sensors, developed by IIT-Mandi, at 10 landslide-prone spots on the Mandi national highway. The sensors will help monitor landslide and act as an early warning system.

Earlier, the administration had approached IIT-Mandi to install these sensors at 10 sites. One of the landslide-prone sites is Kotrupi in Mandi district where 47 persons were buried under the debris following a massive landslide in August last year. A 300-metre stretch of the National Highway-154 was buried under the debris.

“Since landslides are a major hazard, we decided to assign the task of installing sensors, developed by students, to IIT-Mandi, as a pilot project to minimise the loss to life and property,” said Rugved Thakur, Mandi DC.

He said all 10 sites, five each on either side of the NH-154 near Mandi, would have sensors. Though one sensor was installed at Deod in February 2018, it had to be removed before any conclusive data could be collected due to the start of the four-laning project. The National Remote Sensing Centre of ISRO in Hyderabad had undertaken a study of the Kotrupi landslide. The study had pointed out that geologically, the area was in a thrusted contact between the Shivaliks and Shali group of rocks consisting of dolomite, brick red shale, micaceous sandstones, purple clay and mud stones, which are highly prone to landslides.

“Normally, the cost of installing one sensor could be around Rs 1 crore, but we have developed these low-cost sensors. Their installation cost will be a mere Rs 11,000, along with Rs 5,000 running and maintenance cost per annum,” said Dr Venkata Uday Kala.

He said IIT-Mandi had applied for patenting of this technology with the India Patent Cell and the International Patent Cell at Switzerland.

Dr Kala said a company had been set up to render services to those interested in installing these sensors. The sensors could prove to be a watershed in minimising the loss by landslides, which have claimed several lives.

Saving lives

• One of the landslide-prone sites is Kotrupi in Mandi district (pic) where 47 persons were buried under the debris following a massive landslide in August last year. A 300-metre stretch of the National Highway-154 was buried under the debris.
• Though one sensor was installed at Deod in February 2018, it had to be removed before any conclusive data could be collected due to the start of the four-laning project. 
• The installation cost of these sensors will be a mere Rs 11,000, along with  Rs 5,000 running and maintenance cost per annum.