Killer stretch in Shimla district witnessing repeated mishaps

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, October 6

On March 7, Narveer Panwar and a few other social activists met Chopal MLA Balbir Verma regarding various issues of the area. One of the major issues they raised was the need to put up crash barriers on the dangerous spots/stretches in the area. A few months later, on June 14, Panwar’s car veered off the road near Dabhas village on the Chambi-Chopal-Nerwa road and rolled down a gorge. The 31-year-old died in the accident.

68 accidents in the last 5 years

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• Around 40-km-long Chambi-Chopal-Nerwa stretch is highly prone to accidents.
• As per records, 68 accidents have taken place on this stretch in the last five years.
• Narveer, who had been campaigning for putting up crash barriers at the same stretch, died in March when his car went off the road.
• Even 50 per cent of the dangerous spots and stretches have not been covered with crash barriers, locals say.

“He had been campaigning for putting up crash barriers at the same stretch where his car went off the road. It’s a dangerous point, road is narrow and there are no trees or bushes on the hill. His car rolled down around 700-800 feet, killing him on the spot,” said Sudershan Dhirta, his friend and co-member of the NGO, Panwar was part of.

Panwar had got married just a month before the accident, making the loss even more tragic. “If crash barriers had been put up, we would not have lost such a young life,” said Dhirta.

Locals say that around 40-km-long Chambi-Chopal-Nerwa stretch in Shimla district is highly prone to accidents with several spots and stretches witnessing repeated accidents over the years. As per the police records, 68 accidents have been reported on this stretch in the last five years, killing 63 persons and leaving 104 injured. The number could have been even higher if the vehicular movement had not become restricted due to Covid in 2020 and 2021.

“Most of the accidents on this stretch result in the loss of lives as vehicles roll down a long way into the deep gorges,” said Dhirender Chauhan, a local advocate.

“A couple of months back, a car rolled down a ravine near Newti on this stretch, leaving four of a family dead. And it’s not the first accident at that point, at least four or five accidents have taken place at that spot. Yet, there are a few crash barriers on this busy stretch,” said Chauhan.

Raj Tyagi, who runs a local channel in Chopal, says he has lost the count of accidents he has covered on this stretch. “I have seen families getting wiped out in the accidents. Despite such a high rate of accidents and the deaths, the PWD has not covered even 50 per cent of the dangerous spots and stretches with crash barriers,” said Tyagi.

“The department’s approach is reactionary. It puts up crash barriers at the spot only after some accident takes place,” he said.

Accepting that the stretch was hazardous, Rakesh Thakur, Executive Engineer, Chopal, said the PWD was in the midst of putting up crash barriers and parapets at the maximum possible spots. “Many have been put up, tenders have been floated for many others. We are trying to have the maximum possible crash barriers and parapets on this road,” said Thakur.