A massive landslide on the Chandigarh-Manali national highway near 4 Miles in Mandi district this afternoon brought traffic to a complete halt, leaving hundreds of commuters stranded.
The incident triggered by relentless rainfall in the region over the past few days occurred around 3.30 pm.
The landslide led to a major blockade on the vital road stretch between Mandi and Kullu, resulting in long queues of vehicles on both sides of the highway. Officials of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) rushed to the incident site and deployed heavy machinery and workers to clear the debris. However, the authorities concerned indicated that the highway would be restored to traffic by tomorrow.
This was the second landslide on the highway today. Earlier in the morning, a landslide occurred at Diyod, also between Mandi and Kullu. Though the NHAI managed to temporarily restore traffic disrupted due to the earlier landslide, the other one in the afternoon caused a major blockade.
Meanwhile, the Mandi police issued an advisory to alert travellers that the Mandi-Pandoh road was blocked at present and efforts to remove debris and restore traffic were underway. Light motor vehicles were being diverted onto alternative routes via Chail Chowk-Gohar-Pandoh or Kamand-Kataula-Bajaura.
Meanwhile, heavy vehicles heading towards Kullu were stopped at Nagchala while those coming from Kullu were stopped at Jhiri to prevent further congestion on the highway and ensure commuter safety.
The authorities concerned have urged vehicle drivers to avoid travelling on the affected road stretch and stay updated through official channels. The police and NHAI teams were working round-the-clock to restore the highway and further updates would be issued as the situation obtains. Commuters were advised to exercise caution and plan their travels keeping in mind the ongoing weather conditions and the road restoration work.