Bathu bridge landslide buries Kangra-Shimla NH

The Kangra-Shimla National Highway-503 witnessed fresh devastation when a massive landslide near Bathu bridge, close to Ranital, swallowed the entire left lane and choked traffic flow. Triggered by relentless downpours, a large chunk of hillside collapsed, sending boulders crashing across the road and exposing the fragile underbelly of the region’s slopes.

Officials revealed that the sliding rocks originated outside the highway’s designated land, compounding the challenge of repairs. Cleanup operations began swiftly under today’s clearer skies, offering temporary relief to stranded commuters. Yet, the damage was severe: interlock nets once touted as safeguards against rockfall lay mangled and buried, shattered by the sheer force of nature.

Geologists warn that stabilising the hill could take years, given the deep cutting on both riverbanks that has left the slopes precariously loose. Meanwhile, the highway authority remains cautiously hopeful, promising to reopen the blocked lane soon and restore at least partial movement on this lifeline stretch.

For now, the landslide stands as both a warning and a reminder: in Kangra’s rain-soaked valleys, every cut into the hillsides risks awakening forces far mightier than human engineering.