Rain threatens Kangra airport as boundary wall pillars collapse

Continuous rainfall in Kangra district has put the state’s largest airport at Gaggal (Kangra) under threat, after a portion of the boundary wall along the runway suffered damage. At least four pillars of the wall collapsed following a landslide triggered by incessant rains.

The officials of the Airport Authority of India (AAI) warned that if the sliding continues, more pillars could give way, posing a serious risk to airport safety.

The affected stretch lies near the Kuthman–Banoi section of the Mandi–Pathankot National Highway, where frequent landslides have already been disrupting vehicular movement.

The debris coming down from the unstable hill has not only blocked the road repeatedly but also endangered adjoining areas of the airport.

The Airport Director Dhirendra Singh told The Tribune that seepage of water inside the hillside, coupled with continuous rainfall, was causing recurring landslides. He pointed out that while the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) was engaged in restoring the highway for traffic, no simultaneous measures were being taken to stabilise the hill on the airport side.

Singh said the district administration had been informed of the threat and the matter was also raised in the Airport Advisory Committee meeting held in Dharamsala last month.

Shahpur MLA Kewal Singh Pathania, who visited the site on Friday, urged both the administration and airport authorities to act urgently to prevent further damage. He cautioned that any delay could result in major losses to airport infrastructure.

“A permanent solution will not be possible unless water leakage from the hillside is addressed,” Pathania said, adding that he had also raised the issue in the Vidhan Sabha, this week, seeking concrete steps from the government for long-term safety.