A massive landslide completely disrupted traffic movement on the Shimla-Mataur National Highway-205 at Namhol in Bilaspur district on Wednesday. However, no loss of life was reported in the incident. The landslide resulted in huge traffic jams as a large number of vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road. Commuters faced inconvenience, as they were stranded in jams for hours togehter.
According to the police, the landslide occurred near Namhol and a substantial amount of debris fell on the road, blocking vehicular movement. The police as well as officials of the Public Works Department and the district administration rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation. Machinery was immediately deployed at the site for the road clearance work.
To ensure that commuters do not face inconvenience, the police diverted traffic onto alternative routes. Commuters travelling from Shimla to Bilaspur and Hamirpur and vice-versa were diverted from the Brahmpukhar-Jukhala-Jabbal Bridge-Kotla-Kharsi-Dailamod road while vehicles travelling to Mandi from Shimla were diverted towards the Shimla-Dailamod-Navgaon-Kharsi-Kotla-Beri-Mandi road.
Bilaspur SP Abhishek Dhiman also appealed to people to cooperate with traffic police personnel to ensure safe and smooth movement of vehicles. He advised them to follow traffic rules and avoid unnecessary overtaking of other vehicles as well as give priority to emergency vehicles.
Meanwhile, 35 other roads were blocked across the state following a spell of heavy rainfall. As per the State Emergency Operation Centre, 18 roads were blocked in Kullu, 11 in Mandi and two each in Una, Sirmaur and Lahaul and Spiti districts. Besides, 126 power transformers were damaged in the state — Kullu (86), Solan and Chamba (12 each), Mandi (11), Una (5) and Lahaul and Spiti (1).
