In a major relief to commuters and residents, the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway was restored to traffic between Mandi and Kullu yesterday after being blocked for four days due to heavy rainfall and subsequent landslides.
The highway, a crucial lifeline for the region, was blocked at multiple locations including Jhalogi, Dwada, Banala, Aut and the surrounding areas since Sunday, stranding over 2,000 vehicles on both sides.
The heavy and incessant rains over Sunday and Monday triggered frequent landslides, dumping massive debris on the highway, which made restoration work difficult.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) faced challenges in clearing the route due to continuous sliding and poor weather conditions.
However, with the weather improving today, the NHAI swiftly mobilised workforce and machinery to clear the debris.
By late afternoon, the highway was partially restored to traffic, allowing stranded vehicles to begin resuming their journey.
Mandi Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma informed The Tribune that more than 1,800 vehicles have been evacuated from the area.
“Efforts are on to evacuate the remaining vehicles, and we hope to clear all vehicles by 8 pm.
At some damaged stretches the road is open for only one-way traffic and police personnel are regulating movement,” she said, adding that she herself monitoring situation on the ground.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Gursimar Singh also visited the affected highway sections and issued necessary instructions to NHAI officials to expedite the restoration process.
The reopening of the highway has brought a sigh of relief, not only to commuters but also to apple growers in Kullu district.
Due to the blockade, harvested apples were stuck in orchards and packing houses, risking spoilage.
Now, with the road open, transportation of the produce to distant markets can resume, saving farmers from potential losses during the peak harvest season.
Authorities have urged travellers to remain cautious while driving through the landslide-prone areas, as some sections of the road are still fragile.
Restoration work is going on and full-scale two-way traffic is expected to resume once all affected stretches are stabilised.
