27 rural roads still blocked in Mandi

Mandi, June 27

The Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Highways of India (NHAI) today restored 32 of 59 blocked roads to traffic in Mandi district. As many as 27 roads in rural areas of the district are still blocked.

The district administration assessed losses to the tune of Rs 62.35 crore due to heavy rain. Dharampur, Mandi Sadar, Seraj, Darang and Jogindernagar were the most affected areas of the district, where roads, cowsheds and water supply schemes had been damaged in landslides and flash floods.

According to Mandi Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary, heavy rain had caused a loss of Rs 62.35 crore in form of damage to properties in the district. The Public Works Department had suffered a loss of Rs 36.92 crore, Jal Shakti Department Rs 22.46 crore while the Horticulture Department suffered a loss of Rs 2 crore loss. Besides, there were reports that several houses had been damaged, causing a loss of Rs 40 lakh while the Mandi Municipal Corporation had suffered a loss of Rs 40 lakh.

Meanwhile, flash floods in the Bagi nullah of the Darang Assembly constituency and the Tungdhar area of the Seraj Assembly constituency in the past two days had caused a considerable damage to property. A woman was washed away in the overflowing Bagi nullah while a cowshed and a school building were damaged. Three vehicles were also washed away in flash floods in the Tungdhar area.

As many as 13 roads are still blocked in Thalout division, six in Seraj, three in Jogindernagar, two each in Sundernagar and Dharampur and one in Karsog.

Similarly, in Kullu district, the Public Works Department suffered a loss of Rs 3.5 lakh while a Rs 4.17 crore loss caused to the Jal Shakti Department.

Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said that the PWD and the Jal Shakti Department had suffered major losses due to heavy rainfall.

He said that the Chandigarh-Manali highway was opened to two-way traffic today and the vehicles moved smoothly between Mandi and Pandoh.