Demand to expedite flood protection measures along Beas to safeguard vulnerable areas

Anup Thakur, president of Kullu-Manali Paryatan Vikas Mandal, has appealed to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to intervene to expedite flood protection measures along the Beas river. Heavy devastation was caused by flash floods in 2023. The request was formally addressed to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Sukhu through the MLA of Manali.

Thakur emphasised the dire need for the flood protection project, highlighting the tragic loss of human lives, livestock and property during the monsoon season of 2023 as well as prior incidents of flash floods that struck the region. The flooded Beas has consistently caused such disasters, with destructive floods recorded in multiple years, including 1902, 1945, 1988, and more recently in 2018.

The flash floods severely impacted the Chandigarh-Manali highway in 2023, which runs parallel to the river and is vital for tourism in the region. Thakur pointed out that the highway's damage not only disrupts tourism but threatens the livelihoods of local residents who depend on the tourism sector. Many critical areas along the riverbanks such as Akhara Bazar, Bhuntar and Manali have been protected by flood prevention infrastructure like concrete walls and gabion structures. Thakur urged that similar flood protection measures be taken up from Palchan to Aut to safeguard these vulnerable zones.

"A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the flood protection work, totalling Rs 1,669 crore was initially submitted by the state government to the Central Water Commission (CWC) in September 2022. However, due to unaddressed deficiencies, the CWC dropped the proposal. Subsequently, a revised DPR for Rs 1,985 crore was submitted in November 2024 and it is currently under scrutiny by the CWC. Despite the urgent need for funding, sources within the Ministry of Jal Shakti have indicated that no additional funds are available for such projects until 2026," he remarked.

Thakur, along with MLA Bhuvneshwar Gaur, who raised the issue in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, appealed for immediate action to prevent further destruction from future floods. With the tourism-dependent economy of the region at risk, local leaders are hopeful of progress following this critical flood protection initiative.