Chamba: Week on, no immediate relief for Holi as hillside begins to slip

Our Correspondent

Chamba, April 24

There are no signs of relief for residents of the tribal Holi region as the hillside on the Chamba-Holi road has started collapsing, hampering the restoration work.

The Chamba-Holi road is blocked for traffic for over last one week, disrupting the essential supplies in the remote valley. The situation has become perilous near Khadamukh, as a section of the hillside, nearly 100-m wide, has started to collapse. This has made travel even on foot challenging in the area. With a significant portion of the hillside destabilising, there may be further delays in restoring the road.

Traffic blocked for over one week

• The Chamba-Holi road is blocked for traffic for over last one week, disrupting the essential supplies in the remote valley
• The Chamba-Holi road is blocked Situation has become perilous near Khadamukh, as a section of the hillside, nearly 100-m wide, has started to collapse
• With a significant portion of the hillside destabilising, there may be further delays in restoring the road. Although efforts are underway to clear the road, the risk of landslides is making progress difficult, leading to delays in reopening the route
• The authorities are ensuring essential supplies to the region through an alternate longer route but this has led to a spike in the prices of vegetables and other items
• PWD Assistant Engineer Bhan Chand Thakur said efforts were underway to restore the road near Khadamukh with additional machinery and labour deployed for the task, but the threat of landslide poses a significant challenge, causing delays in the work

Although efforts are underway to clear the road, the risk of landslides is making progress difficult, leading to delays in reopening the route.

If the hillside continues to collapse, it could obliterate a section of not only the main road, but also a link road constructed by a hydropower company, exacerbating the difficulties for residents of the Holi area.

Consequently, locals are urging the administration to take immediate steps to mitigate the risk of landslides and expedite the restoration of the road, to prevent further hardships for the people of Holi.

The authorities are ensuring essential supplies to the region through an alternate longer route but this has led to a spike in the prices of vegetables and other items.

Vehicles carrying essential items are being diverted through Siunr, but it presents significant risks and challenges because a wooden bridge on this route is difficult for larger vehicles to pass through.

The distance from Khadamukh to Holi is approximately 18 km, while from Siunr, it extends to nearly 40 km, adding to the woes of locals and travellers.

Four buses, including two Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses, along with several heavy vehicles carrying, essential goods and construction materials, are stranded near Khadamukh. People are resorting to hiring taxis at exorbitant rates to reach their destinations.

The efforts by the Public Works Department to reopen the road have yielded no results due to unrelenting landslide and shooting rocks.

PWD Assistant Engineer Bhan Chand Thakur said efforts were underway to restore the road near Khadamukh with additional machinery and labour deployed for the task, but the threat of landslide poses a significant challenge, causing delays in the work.

“Despite the risks, PWD employees and machine operators were working tirelessly to clear the debris and restore access. However, as the danger increases, work may need to be suspended until the area is deemed safe again,” he said.

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