Landslide disrupts life on Chamba-Pathankot road

The Chamba-Pathankot National Highway was blocked late Sunday night after a massive landslide struck at Nainikhad around 11 pm, bringing vehicular movement on the busy route to a complete halt. Even after 12 hours, the road remained closed, causing severe inconvenience to commuters and residents.

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded in long queues through the night, forcing passengers to stay inside their vehicles. For children and the elderly, the ordeal was particularly harsh, with many travellers going hungry until morning. With the highway cut off, Chamba’s vital connectivity to the outside world was disrupted and vehicles carrying essential supplies like milk, vegetables and other necessities were left stuck for hours.

On Monday morning, National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) teams, along with heavy machinery, reached the site and began clearance operations. Progress was slow, however, as debris removal was hampered by the continuous falling of rocks. The road was eventually reopened by late afternoon.

Locals expressed concern that despite frequent landslides at the same spot during the monsoon, no permanent preventive measures have been taken. They urged authorities to construct protective walls or tunnel-like shelters to ensure safer travel.

NHAI officials confirmed the landslide and said machinery was immediately deployed, but falling stones delayed the reopening. They also acknowledged that monsoon rains have made travel along the highway increasingly risky, with the road caving in at several locations. Just a day earlier, on Saturday night, a truck and two motorcycles plunged onto a lateral road when a portion of the highway gave way near Nainikhad.