Lessons that Himachal must not ignore after the rain fury
The Tribune Editorial: The Atal Tunnel may be an engineering marvel, but the reversion to the old Rohtang Pass road after its blockage proves that emergency planning has not kept pace with infra expansion.
Updated At : 07:12 AM Jul 05, 2025 IST
THE 2025 rains have already left behind a trail of death and destruction in Himachal Pradesh. At least 63 lives have been lost, dozens are still missing and the state has suffered damages worth Rs 400 crore. In Mandi district, torrential rains, cloudbursts and flashfloods have washed away homes, roads and orchards. In just one week, critical infrastructure crumbled: the Manali-Leh highway was blocked for over 15 hours, the historic Kangra Valley Railway was suspended again due to landslides and in Shimla’s Dhalli area, a collapsing retaining wall endangered five buildings. They reflect a long-brewing crisis rooted in unscientific development, poor disaster planning and a neglect of ecological wisdom.
