Fresh cracks appear on Shimla highway at Chakki Mod, heavy vehicles not allowed

Solan, August 13

The District Magistrate-cum-Chairman of the District Disaster Management Authority today prohibited the movement of heavy vehicles and buses on the Chandigarh-Shimla national highway-5 for an indefinite period after fresh cracks appeared on it at Chakki Mod.

Meanwhile, vehicular movement was blocked on the highway due to landslide debris that continued to fall throughout the day following incessant rain since last night.

The highway was opened for buses and trucks earlier this week by carving out a five-metre temporary road by cutting hills. The work to strengthen the road by placing crate wire structures at its base was underway but heavy rain played spoilsport.

The traffic police have advised commuters to use arterial routes to avoid inconvenience. Besides, in past 24 hours, the Solan police have facilitated the movement of more than 3,000 vehicles, including heavy vehicles, on the national highway as and when it was opened at Chakki Mod and also through alternative routes.

As many as 3,285 vehicles, including 1,200 heavy vehicles, carrying daily utility goods and 2,492 cars plied on the highway from Parwanoo while 1,100 vehicles plied from Dharampur and Parwanoo in the past 24 hours. Besides, 430 trucks, 380 pick-up vehicles and 680 light vehicles used the Kumarhatti-Nahan route.

The Himachal Roadways Transport Corporation (HRTC) today directed its buses going towards Chandigarh and Delhi from Shimla to use the Kumarhatti-Nahan route after 5 pm while other buses were told to use the Kunihar-Ramshehar-Siswan route.