Land subsidence after downpour damages Kiratpur-Manali highway

A major portion of the Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway near Diyod in Mandi district suffered significant damage today following continuous land subsidence triggered by torrential rainfall over the past several days. Vehicular movement was affected in the region due to the damaged highway.

According to local sources, cracks had started developing on the highway stretch a few days ago and these widened due to continuous heavy rainfall, resulting in the collapse of a substantial stretch of the road. The situation forced the authorities concerned to restrict traffic flow to one lane on the affected road stretch. Police personnel were deployed to manage traffic.

This is not the first time this section of the highway has been damaged and faced structural challenges. In 2023, a similar incident had emerged, prompting the National Highways Authority of India to undertake repairs, including the construction of a retaining wall. However, continuous subsidence and boulders falling from the hills this year again compromised the stability of the area.

Varun Chari, Project Director of the highway project, said, “Subsidence occurred after boulders fell from the hills, particularly in the area where a retaining wall was constructed in 2023. The strata in this zone is inherently loose, which is the core reason of perennial instability.”

Chari said that the situation was being closely monitored and temporary maintenance work was currently underway to maintain uninterrupted traffic flow. He added that a consultant geologist and a hydrologist had been hired to assess the terrains.