Kinnaur landslide: Timely closure of traffic at Nigulsari averts possible tragedy

Subhash Rajta

Shimla, September 8

Vehicular traffic on the 400m stretch near Nigulsari in Kinnaur was stopped barely a few hours before a major landslide washed away the entire stretch. The timely action saved the lives of several people who could have been caught in the landslide if the traffic was not stopped. Incidentally, an equally massive landslide had buried a bus and a few other vehicles two years back about half a km from the current spot, killing 28 people and injuring many.

“We stopped the traffic at around 6pm, and the landslide happened at around 11pm. So, yes, it was quite a close call,” said Chander Mohan Thakur, Tehsildar, Nichar. “If the traffic was not closed, there could have easily been 10-15 vehicles on this stretch at the time of the landslide,” he said.

The road had been sinking for the last 8-10 days, but the vehicles were being allowed to cross the stretch slowly and steadily.

“The restoration work on the stretch was going on simultaneously. We were constructing breast walls to stabilize the stretch. On Thursday evening, we noticed that the breast wall had started swelling. Sensing the danger, we informed the administration and the vehicular movement was stopped shortly,” said Satish Joshi, a National Highway official.

“As the apple harvest season is on and peas are also being sent to various mandis, several vehicles could have been on this stretch when the landslide struck. A possible tragedy has been averted,” said Joshi.

On Thursday, the situation had started turning serious as a pick-up carrying apple was hit by a shooting boulder while crossing the stretch. “This incident also suggested that the stretch was no longer safe for vehicular movement, and so it was closed for vehicular movement in the nick of time,” said Thakur.