Manali road blocked, tourists stranded

Dipender Manta
Tribune News Service
Mandi, July 19

The traffic movement between Mandi and Kullu on the Chandigarh-Manali highway was hampered for almost nine hours today following a massive landslide near Pandoh in the district. Hundreds of tourists, including children, were stranded. However, the highway was restored to traffic around 4.15 pm.

The landslide triggered by heavy rain was reported around 7.30 am. As the rain slowed, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) engaged its workforce and machinery to clear the debris from the highway. A vehicle was damaged in the landslide, while people travelling in a car had a narrow escape.

Besides, the alternative Mandi-Kullu road via Kataula was also blocked due to a big landslide near Kandi in the district. However, the road was restored to traffic around 2.30 pm.

Long queues of vehicles were noticed on the Chandigarh-Manali highway near Pandoh and on the Mandi-Kullu road at Kandi. The Sarkaghat-Dharampur highway was also blocked due to a landslip. Around 48 link roads were blocked in the district, though a few of them were cleared of the debris. Seraj, the home constituency of Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, was the worst affected as 24 roads were blocked there due to landslides.

Similarly, the Manali-Leh highway was blocked near Sarchu for sometime, but the BRO restored it.

According to Additional District Magistrate, Mandi, Rajiv Kumar, no loss of life due to heavy rain was reported in the district. Additional SP Ashish Sharma advised people to avoid journeying on the Chandigarh-Manali highway during night.