Landslide-prone sites identified on Shimla highway

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 12

Containing landslides on the Parwanoo-Kaithlighat section of the Kalka-Shimla highway, where the fourlaning work is under way, has become a major challenge for the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

Several sites have become vulnerable to landslides in the monsoon where, apart from putting on hold the traffic, the fear of causing loss to human lives is looming large.

Landslides have been reoccurring at Chakki Ka Mor on the Parwanoo-Solan section as well as between Solan and Kaithlighat for the last few weeks. Though excavation has been halted since July, excavated slopes all along the highway are posing threat to the motorists.

The work has been deferred at such sites on the NH-5 where the strata is fragile and the probability of landslides is high. “Some sites are vulnerable ahead of Salogra on the Solan-Kaithlighat stretch and various precautions are being adopted to minimise the risk during the rain,” said Suresh Sharma, project director.

He added, “Measures like benching can reduce the slope angle if available space is more instead of undertaking vertical cutting,” said an official of the company engaged in four-laning of the highway. “Excavation on the slopes at times causes cracks in the hills and over a period of time seepage of water triggers landslides,” added the official.