Traffic on the Kiratpur-Manali National Highway between Mandi and Kullu was restored this afternoon via Pandoh, bringing relief to hundreds of commuters who had been stranded for the past 40 hours due to a massive landslide near Dwada.
The blockade had cut off connectivity between Mandi and Kullu districts, causing major disruptions in travel and transportation.
While the highway has reopened, the situation remains far from normal. The stretch between Mandi and Aut is still deemed dangerous. Officials have confirmed that four landslides occurred between Dwada and Jhalogi.
Although debris has been cleared to allow limited traffic movement, the road conditions remain precarious. With continued rainfall in the region, the risk of fresh landslides persists.
Authorities, including the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and district administration, are maintaining a close watch on the situation. Commuters have been advised to exercise caution while travelling through the affected areas, especially in the light of weather forecasts predicting more rain.
In addition to the highway disruption, a total of 245 roads remain blocked across the district for the last three days due to landslides and road damage. However, the Public Works Department (PWD) has restored 70 roads to traffic yesterday.
According to official data, 108 roads are still blocked in the Seraj division, followed by 56 in Thalaut, 29 in Karsog, 18 in Dharampur, 10 in Mandi and seven in Padhar, with the remaining disruptions reported in other parts of the district.
Restoration work is underway on a war footing in rural and remote areas, where residents have been facing a lot of hardships due to lack of connectivity.
Apart from road closures, essential services have also been affected. As many as 88 electricity transformers have been disrupted, leaving several areas without power.