Shimla-Kalka national highway to remain closed for next 2 days

A landslide blocked the national highway following a landslide at Chakki Mor near Koti on the Dharampur-Parwanoo stretch on Wednesday morning, leaving many vehicles stranded

Shimla: The Shimla-Kalka National Highway connecting Shimla and Chandigarh will remain closed for the next two days, Public Works Department minister Vikramaditya Singh said on Thursday.

A landslide blocked the national highway following a landslide at Chakki Mor near Koti on the Dharampur-Parwanoo stretch on Wednesday morning, leaving many vehicles stranded.

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The road was opened for a while for one-way traffic but closed soon after due to a fresh landslip. Now, it will remain closed for the next two days, Singh said, adding that 330 roads are blocked in the state and work is on to open them.

“Inclement weather conditions and rains are hampering the road opening operations and the national highway would be opened for single-lane in next two days, depending on weather conditions”, Solan Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh told PTI on Thursday.

The closure of the main highway has also hit the transportation of apples and vegetables and the trucks are being diverted via the Kumarhatti-Nahan-Chandigarh highway.

The supply of essential commodities like milk, bread and vegetables remained disrupted in the state capital Shimla and upper areas as Shimla-Kalka National Highway remained closed due to fresh landslides at Chakki.

Light vehicles coming from Chandigarh have been routed through Parwanoo-Kasauli-Jangushu Road Kumarhatti while vehicles going from Solan would take Bhognagar-Banasar-Kamli road.

The Shimla police have routed traffic going from Shimla to Chandigarh via Theog-Sainj-Giripul-Oachghat- Kumarhatti-Sarahan-Kala Amb-Panchkula road while the traffic coming from Chandigarh would be routed via Dherowal- Nalagarh- Parsehar- Kunihar- Totu- Shimla for light vehicles.

The local MeT office has issued a “yellow” alert for heavy downpours at isolated places from August 4 to 7 and predicted a wet spell in the state till August 9.

Light to moderate rains lash parts of the state and Sundernagar received 56 mm of rain, Mandi 54 mm, Nahan 50 mm and Solan 21 mm.

According to the state emergency operation centre, 197 persons have died in rain-related incidents and road accidents since the onset of the monsoon on June 24 till Wednesday.
The state has suffered losses to the tune of Rs 5746 crore, it said.