Landslide hits traffic on Chandigarh-Manali highway

Tribune News Service
Mandi, November 21

Traffic movement was hampered on the Chandigarh-Manali highway near Banala because of a massive landslide. The four-laning of the highway is under progress and the National Highways Authority of India has engaged its workforce and machinery for the work.

Deep cutting towards hillside had caused the face of the hilltop to slide, resulting in the landslide around 9:30 am. This blocked traffic between Mandi and Kullu and the movement of vehicles remained hit for hours.

The traffic had hardly been restored when a massive landslide again blocked the road. A big boulder was hanging on upper side of road, which could be a potential threat to the vehicles moving on road side. The district administration has asked the authorities concerned to break the boulder through blasting to avoid any danger to human life.

Hitesh Lakhanpal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mandi, said “Due to landsliding, traffic movement on the Chandigarh-Manali highway near Banala remained suspended since morning. To avoid a pile-up we have diverted traffic movement on the alternate route via Katola.”

He said that in view of public safety the traffic movement has been stopped for night on the Chandigarh-Manali highway via Banala, which is expected to be restored on Thursday.

As the alternate route via Katola between Mandi and Kullu is not good enough for the movement of heavy vehicles, a large number of tourist buses were left stranded either in Kullu or Mandi side waiting for the restoration of the road at the earliest.