The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) Sunday restored vehicular movement near the landslide-prone area Chakki Mod on Kalka-Shimla NH-5, where the traffic was halted for more than one and a half hours due to a landslide earlier in the day. The disruption had caused a 2 km-long traffic jam on both sides of the road, with commuters left waiting for the road to reopen.
Anand Dhaiya, project director, NHAI, said, “The landslide was reported at landslide-prone area Chakki Mod this morning around 7 am. We stopped the traffic movement on one side to remove debris, ensuring the security of commuters. The traffic movement was restored. The traffic is running smoothly from Parwanoo Timber Trail to Shimla on the NH-5 at present. There is no need to panic. Whenever a landslide takes place, we halt the traffic for a period to clear the debris.”
Heavy rain triggered a sudden landslide from the hillside at Chakki Mod, completely halting vehicle movement around 7 am. Meanwhile, stone shooting continues in several other locations, including on the UNESCO-protected World Heritage Kalka-Shimla railway line near Koti between Kasauli and Solan. This led to the suspension of train services.
The first train scheduled for the morning is stranded at Koti station, while other trains have been halted at the Gumman and Kalka stations. Not only Koti, but several stations up to Shimla have reported fallen trees, rocks, and debris on the tracks. The railway line has not yet been cleared. Trains will be allowed to proceed towards Shimla once the route is restored.
The weather department has issued an alert for heavy rainfall in seven districts of Himachal Pradesh for Sunday and Monday. Incessant rains have led to the blockage of the road leading to Chamyana Hospital in Shimla due to a landslide. In Bhattakufer, rocks have fallen on vehicles. Additionally, in the Bathwell area of Sanjauli Ward, a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall caused debris to fall on a house, trapping a mother and daughter inside. The Mayor, local councillor, and the district administration team have reached the spot.
Due to pre-monsoon flushing at Larji Dam, the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) opened all five spillway gates of Pandoh Dam this morning, increasing the water flow in the Beas River.
A senior BBMB officer said, “Approximately 44,000 cusecs of water are flowing into the Beas River and are being released downstream through the dam. The silt level has risen to 4,000 PPM, prompting the closure of the Baggi tunnel and temporary suspension of power generation at the Dehar powerhouse.”
