Massive landslide blocks Rohru-Hatkoti-Theog road

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, August 18

A massive landslide blocked the Rohru-Hatkoti-Theog highway at Dochi in Jubbal town in the district for the last 24 hours.

As rocks fell behind houses located on the lower side of the road, a transmission line running parallel to the highway caught fire after the rocks hit the road, spreading panic in Mihana and Dochi villages. “A major tragedy has been averted as we stopped vehicles on both sides as soon as we spotted the falling boulders on the road,” said Naresh Kumar, a resident of Mihana. The traffic, including apple-laden trucks, remained stranded there for 24 hours and farmers have expressed concern that the fruit might rot due to ripening.

However, villagers blamed the PWD and its contractor for the faulty and steep cutting of the hill for the landslide. “My house faces threat as the landslide has rendered the hillside shaky,” rued Parkash Tanta, a villager.

Rajesh Jaswal, Executive Engineer, PWD, said they had pressed machines to restore traffic on the Rohru-Hatkoti-Theog road. Rohan Chand Thakur, Deputy Commissioner, Shimla, said the Rohru SDM was monitoring the road repair work and they hoped the traffic would be restored by the evening. “The traffic has been diverted to the Mendli-Kharapathar road and the threat to houses are being ascertained,” he added.