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The highway has been blocked between Pandoh and Aut due to recurring landslides at several stretches, said officials
Key stretch of Chandigarh–Manali National Highway blocked after landslide | Image: News18 Hindi
Heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh has triggered multiple landslides in Mandi district, forcing the closure of the Chandigarh–Manali National Highway and leaving thousands of commuters stranded for the third consecutive day.
The highway has been blocked between Pandoh and Aut due to recurring landslides at several stretches, said officials.
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While the road was briefly opened on Monday, it was shut again on Tuesday and remains impassable, they added.
The alternative Mandi–Kullu route via Katoula has also been blocked near Kannauj, leaving the highway as the only available — yet unreliable — route to Kullu and Manali.
With vehicles stranded in the open amid continuous downpours, many travelers have taken shelter inside tunnels built under the Kiratpur–Manali four-lane project.
Meanwhile, the district administration, along with local organisations, has been supplying food and drinking water to stranded passengers.
Relief camps have been set up at Hanogi Mata Temple, Baba Balak Nath Temple in Pandoh, and nearby areas.
The Baba Balak Nath Temple Committee, supported by the administration, has been distributing meals daily.
According to committee secretary Vikrant Saini, “Ration is being provided by the administration, and food distribution continues until late night so that no stranded person is left unattended.”
Officials said over 4,000 people have received food and water over the past five days.
The worst damage to the highway has been reported near Larji Power House in Dawada, where the swollen Beas River has washed over the road, leaving it heavily damaged.
Hundreds of trucks carrying fruits, vegetables, and essential supplies from Punjab, Haryana, and Delhi to Kullu, Manali, and Lahaul-Spiti have been stuck for days.
Truck drivers said the delay has caused their perishable goods to rot, resulting in heavy financial losses.
“It has been three days since we got stuck. While the administration is providing food and water, our entire stock has spoiled,” said drivers Davlender Sen, Gurvinder Singh, and Raj Singh.
Officials said efforts are underway to clear the debris, but continuous rainfall and rising river levels are hampering restoration work.
- Location :
Himachal Pradesh, India, India
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