Traffic disrupted on Parwanoo-Solan road

Vehicular traffic faced disruptions on the Parwanoo- Solan-Kandaghat-Shimla highway as mounds of debris and massive boulders flowed down on the road from the hills above following relentless rains pouring in since yesterday.

As much as 187 mm rain lashed Solan sub-division, 135 mm rain pounded Kasauli, while 108.2 mm rain threw life out of gear in Kandaghat today.

Railway traffic was suspended on the entire Kalka- Shimla heritage track till September 5 after muck fell on the track at Koti, Gumman and Sanwara blocking the track, including one end of the tunnel at Koti. Six trains plying on the tracks have been suspended in view of the damage caused to the track till September 5, informed a railway official.

A train en route Shimla-Kalka was cancelled this morning while another plying from Kalka to Shimla was terminated at Dharampur. Both trains had taken off at 9:25 AM from Shimla and Kalka.

“In a bid to clear the track, muck and boulders were hurled on the highway below which disrupted its two lanes lying along the hill around Koti,” informed Anand Dahiya, Project Director, National Highways Authority of India, Shimla. Traffic was briefly halted at Salogra near Solan as muck and boulders kept rolling down from the hill above. Continuous erosion of the hill near Sanwara also led to closure of the lanes facing the hilly slope.

While two lanes were restored for traffic, driver of an earth excavation machine deputed to clear the muck at Sanwara had a miraculous escape after a huge boulder rolled down from the excavated hilly slope.

Traffic was channelled through two lanes at Salogra, Sanwara and Koti, disrupting the normal pace of vehicular movement. The National Highways Authority of India pressed its labour and machinery into service to clear the road though the relentless rain kept the labourers on their toes throughout the day.

In view of the weather department’s warning for heavy to very heavy rain, all educational institutions remained closed today. Though the teachers were directed to take online classes for the students from home, power disruption defeated the purpose as 899 power distribution transformers have developed a snag across the district in Solan, Kasauli, Arki and Baddi.