191 roads still blocked, Mandi apple growers stare at losses

The apple growers of Mandi are grappling with a major crisis as 191 roads in the district are blocked for over a month due to incessant rains and landslides. In the worst-affected Seraj and Karsog Assembly constituencies, farmers are concerned over their inability to transport their apple produce to markets.

In Seraj, 85 Public Works Department (PWD) roads are closed, while in Karsog, 17 roads are still blocked. Several other village link roads, which are managed by local panchayats, are also blocked, further cutting off the farmers of remote areas.

Guman Singh, an apple grower of Bagrathach in Seraj, says, “We are in a dilemma. The fruit is ready but without road access, how we will take it to markets? We fear we will suffer heavy losses if the situation does not improve soon.”

Meanwhile, machines were deployed today to restore key roads in the region and officials estimated that road access could be opened within the next four days. However, continuous rainfall posed a major challenge to the repair and clearing operations.

Jaiwanti, a resident of the Baryogi region in Seraj, says, “For more than a month, our area has remained disconnected. The fruit is ready for harvesting but we are stuck and helpless,” she adds.

The situation has drawn sharp reactions from political leaders. Karsog MLA Deep Raj has expressed frustration over the delay in restoration work and called upon the state government to deploy more resources to speed up the opening of roads. “If roads are not restored immediately, it will be an economic disaster for fruit growers, who depend entirely on this seasonal crop,” he adds.

Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, who represents Seraj, criticised the government for its slow response and described the situation as “horrible”. He told The Tribune that “rains have devastated Seraj. Houses have been damaged, lives have been lost and now farmers face the risk of losing their only source of livelihood. I will take up the matter with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and seek immediate action.”

Thakur added that if roads were not opened soon, disaster-hit Seraj would face economic ruin. He emphasised the need for increased manpower, machinery and focused attention of the state administration to address the issue.

Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that directions had been issued for expediting the restoration work in the apple belt of Mandi. “We are fully aware of the crisis and committed to helping our fruit growers. Every possible effort is being made to restore connectivity at the earliest,” he added.