Landslides hit tourism in Dharamsala region

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, August 26

Tourism sector in upper Dharamsala suburbs such as McLeodganj, Dharamkot and Bhagsunag has been affected by recent landslides in the region. The hoteliers in the area say most of their booking for the month of September have been cancelled. They have also expressed concern over the fact that the two roads leading to McLeodganj have been damaged due to landslides.

Home of Dalai Lama

The presence of the Dalai Lama attracts tourists from across the world to McLeodganj. It is deplorable that the government hasn’t been able to improve connectivity to the tourist destination. — Ashwani Bamba, President, Upper Dharamsala hotel association

Sanjeev Gandhi, general secretary of the Smart City Dharamsala Hotels Association says that tourism generally used to pick up at McLeodganj in the month of September. Many foreign tourists, especially the European and Israeli, started visiting the city from September. Many had advance booking for their stay. However, the damage caused to the area roads after recent rains has resulted in cancellation of most of the bookings.

He says it is a matter of concern that both roads leading to McLeodganj, the main Dharamsala-McLeodganj road and Khara Danda road leading from Kotwali market to McLeodganj, have been damaged due to landslides. The vital bridge on Dharamsala-McLeodganj road locally called Kala Bridge has also been damaged. The government should take immediate steps to ensure its repair so that the connectivity to McLeodganj is not hit, Gandhi says.

Ashwani Bamba, president of Upper Dharamsala Hotel and Restaurant Association, says that roads from Dharamsala to McLeodganj had started sinking and were damaged long ago. The main road leading from Dharamsala to McLeodganj is a national highway. The work for strengthening of the road has been going on for the past about two years. However, it was yet to be completed. Every year the road is damaged in landslides but no permanent solution has been found to the problem.

Bamba further said that the McLeodganj was home to the Dalai Lama who is revered as Living Buddha. The presence of the Dalai Lama attracts tourists from across the world to McLeodganj. However, it was deplorable that the government had not been able to improve connectivity to international tourist destination McLeodganj, he said.

According to geological experts the entire McLeodganj hill was an active sliding zone. They have suggested to the district administration that active sliding zones on the hill needed to be treated scientifically to prevent damage to public and private properties due to landslides every monsoon.

When contacted, Deputy Commissioner Kangra Nipun Jindal said that orders had been passed to the PWD and national highways departments to repair both the roads leading to McLeodganj at the earliest.