148 roads blocked in Mandi, farmers stare at huge losses

Farmers in Mandi are facing hardships in transporting their produce to markets, as 148 roads are still blocked in the district following the devastating cloudburst on June 30. As the apple and tomato harvests are nearing the peak season, farmers fear that delay in the restoration of road connectivity can lead to heavy losses.

In the worst-affected Seraj region, 74 rural roads are blocked, cutting off several villages from the main road network. Farmers and orchardists are scrambling to find alternative routes to save their perishable produce.

Jaiwanti, a resident of Surah Panchayat in the Seraj constituency, expressed deep concern over the fate of her tomato crop. “Tomatoes are ready for harvest, but with no road to transport the produce, they may rot in the field,” she says. Her worries are echoed by other residents of the area.

Bhag Singh of Cheuni panchayat says that the apple season is just a few days away. “Without road connectivity, it will be nearly impossible to take the apple produce to market in time. This is our only source of income,” he adds.

The cloudburst had claimed 42 lives and caused extensive damage to roads, homes and public infrastructure and the region is struggling to recover since then. Farmers are especially vulnerable as their perishable crops face the risk of spoilage if not transported to market in time.

Congress leader Jagadish Reddy has urged the authorities to speed up the restoration work. “Efforts are on, but the pace needs to be increased significantly. Farmers cannot afford to lose their apple crop,” he adds.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur has raised the issue with the state government and asked it to mobilise more resources and manpower. “Immediate action is necessary to restore connectivity in the affected villages before it’s too late for the farmers,” he adds.

Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan has assured people that the district administration is committed to restoration efforts. “Jhulla bridges are being installed at critical points to ensure temporary connectivity. An Additional Deputy Commissioner is monitoring the ground situation and financial aid has been released to the affected panchayats,” he says. The restoration work is being carried out on a war footing.