Road connectivity to Kinnaur via NH-5 restored after 10 days

Shimla, September 17

The road connectivity to Kinnaur via NH 5 has been restored. The restored 400m stretch at Nigulsari was thrown open for all vehicles at around 1 pm today.

“The vehicles going towards Rampur-Shimla were allowed to cross first. These were mainly the vehicles carrying apple that were stuck for the past 10 days. Then, vehicles carrying essential supplies to Kinnaur were allowed to cross,” said Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, who had been overseeing the restoration work right from the start.

The entire district was cut off from the Shimla-Rampur side on the night of September 7 when around 400m long stretch of the national highway was washed away by a major landslide and land subsidence. Ever since, efforts were on to restore the road to the tribal district.

The road has been restored on a one-way basis as around 30-40m stretch is quite narrow and there isn’t enough space for crossing yet. Besides, the risk of shooting stones and boulders rolling down the hill continues. “People have been deputed on both sides of the vulnerable stretch to keep a watch on the hill above. To ensure that vehicles do not stop and keep moving on this stretch, we have kept it one-way for the time being,” the minister said.

Negi further said that the restoration work was quite challenging as the work was carried out amidst the threat of more slide and shooting stones. “There was a lot of rubble that was to be removed and cutting and drilling of the rocks was quite tough. Men and machines worked till midnight to restore the road,” said Negi.

Meanwhile, Nichar Tehsildar Chander Mohan said LPG and fuel tankers have moved to Kinnaur.

Landslide damaged 400m stretch

• The entire district was cut off from the Shimla-Rampur side on the night of September 7 when around 400-m-long stretch of the national highway was washed away by a major landslide and land subsidence
• Efforts were on since then to restore the road to the tribal district
• The road has been restored on a one-way basis as around 30-40m stretch is quite narrow and there isn’t enough space for crossing yet