Shimla, September 5
A large number of shops in the Tibetan market here faced imminent threat from landslide as the sinking portion of the historic Ridge caved in further following heavy rain.

In all, a 42-m stretch of the Ridge in front of Gaiety Theatre is sliding, out of which 20m sunk by more than 2 m today, posing a serious threat to the market located downhill.

The municipal toilets have been damaged in the process and the area closed to pedestrians. The municipal authorities have warned shopkeepers and those using the Rivoli road to be careful as landslide could strike anytime. The sinking portion was repaired last week to check further slide. However, heavy rain put the entire effort to nought.

Joint Municipal Commissioner KK Sharma maintained that haphazard digging and construction on the hillside along the Rivoli road, mainly by Tibetan shopkeepers, was the main reason for the sinking of the Ridge. So far the Gaiety Theatre is safe but if there is more rain and a big slide was triggered, it could be endangered.

The structures have blocked the natural flow of rainwater, leading to excessive seepage and rendering the fragile hill prone to slides. Cracks had appeared on the Ridge in 2008 as well when about 20 shops of the Tibetan market had collapsed due to heavy rains.