Connectivity with Bhattiyat hit as rain triggers landslides

Heavy rainfall that lasted for nearly 10 hours since late Sunday night triggered major landslides between Lahru–Sihunta near Paniyala temple and Lahru–Chowari near Kaali Dhar, snapping road connectivity in the Bhattiyat Assembly constituency on Monday.

The PWD immediately deployed earthmoving machinery, including three JCBs and a Poclain machine, to clear debris. According to Executive Engineer Narinder Chowdhary of the Chowari division, the Lahru–Chowari link road was restored around noon, while it took until late evening to reopen the Lahru–Sihunta road, which falls under the Major District Road (MDR) category. The clearance was delayed due to the heavy volume of debris.

Commuters travelling between Chowari, Chamba, Sihunta and Nurpur faced significant hardship throughout the day. The landslides disrupted the 32-km Chowari-Lahru-Sihunta MDR, preventing residents from Sihunta from reaching the subdivisional headquarters in Chowari and the district headquarters in Chamba.

Adding to public frustration is the stalled road development in the area. Locals pointed out that the Lahru–Sihunta MDR, currently under two-lane construction, had received principal approval in 2016 for an upgrade to National Highway status to improve connectivity with the tribal region of Pangi via Chowari-Jot-Chamba Road.

Despite all formalities being completed, no further progress has been made by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. Residents are now urging for immediate attention to both road safety and long-pending infrastructure upgrades.