Farmers worried over bad condition of Mandi-Kullu stretch of Manali highway

Farmers from Lahaul-Spiti and Kullu districts have raised serious concern over the bad condition of the Mandi-Kullu stretch of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway, which is adversely affecting the timely transportation of their agricultural and horticultural produce to distant markets. Frequent landslides on this critical route have led to massive traffic disruptions, with jams lasting over 40 hours on multiple occasions this month. This was resulting in decay of perishable goods causing huge financial losses to growers.

Sonam Zangpo, pradhan of Gram Panchayat Keylong, Lahaul-Spiti, told The Tribune that traffic snarls between Kullu and Mandi are causing truckloads of vegetables, particularly cauliflower and peas, to rot in the vehicles. “Due to the long halts caused by landslides, vegetables are decaying causing immense losses to farmers,” he said.

The apple growers of Kullu are equally distressed. With peak apple harvesting season underway, they fear their high-value produce may not reach markets on time. Manu Sharma, an apple grower from Manali, and Rajeev Kimta of Kullu stated, “The situation is grim. We urge the Deputy Commissioners of both Mandi and Kullu districts to work in coordination to ensure smoother traffic movement. Apple and vegetable-laden trucks should be given priority in movement. A dedicated mechanism must be put in place to reduce traffic congestion urgently.”

The farmers have appealed to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to intervene and issue necessary directives to district administrations for immediate action.

Responding to the crisis, Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan said that despite frequent landslides and heavy rainfall, the district administration is continuously striving to keep the road functional. “The Mandi to Kullu portion of the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway is being operated under a one-way traffic system due to recurring landslides. Both SDMs of Mandi Sadar and Balichowki are monitoring the situation closely,” Devgan stated.

He appealed to travellers and drivers to use the road only when absolutely necessary and advised them to stay updated on weather and road conditions. “Landslide threats remain high, so unnecessary travel should be avoided for everyone’s safety,” he warned.

To support stranded travellers, the Mandi district administration has set up temporary facilities, including mobile health check-up vans and regulated food supply stalls with fixed pricing.