Landslide threat looms, no traffic on Manali National Highway

Mandi, July 18

The district administration has stopped traffic movement on the Chandigarh-Manali highway between Mandi and Pandoh in Mandi district in view of public safety till Wednesday. The road at 6 Mile between Mandi and Pandoh has been rendered unsafe as the threat of landslide looms in the area.

The highway was blocked to traffic at 6 Mile last evening due to a massive landslide. Yesterday a JCB driver and a few other labourers had a narrow escape when big boulders rolled down from the hillside on a JCB machine.

Mandi Additional Superintendent of Police Sagar Chander said, “Big boulders were hanging on 80 degree angle on hillside at 6 Mile, which may roll down any time. This may cause a disaster if traffic is allowed on the road. The administration has directed the National Highways Authority of India to clear these boulders from the area to avoid any untoward incident. The

road widening work is underway at 6 Mile, which is expected to be restored to traffic by Wednesday.”

“Traffic has been diverted on alternative routes between Mandi and Kullu until the restoration of the highway between Mandi and Pandoh,” the ASP said.

The ASP stated that light vehicles between Mandi and Kullu had been diverted via the Kataula road. Similarly, the movement of heavy vehicles has been diverted between Mandi and Kullu via the Chailchowk-Pandoh road. As soon as the highway is restored to traffic at 6 Mile, the movement of traffic will be allowed on it between Mandi and Kullu.