Heavy Landslides Block National Highway-707, Stranding Commuters

Nahan, June 25 – Heavy landslides due to mountain collapses have caused a complete halt in traffic on the National Highway-707 connecting Paonta Sahib to Hatkoti in Sirmaur district, Himachal Pradesh. Large quantities of debris and huge boulders have spilled onto the highway, resulting in long queues of vehicles on both sides. Commuters are left to travel on foot to reach their destinations amidst the disrupted traffic. The onset of monsoon has exacerbated the situation, causing widespread concern among locals. The incident occurred late Monday evening, approximately eight kilometers from Shillai towards National Highway-707, when the mountainside gave way, blocking the highway entirely.

The landslides are attributed to excavation activities by construction companies along National Highway-707, which locals claim are being conducted in an unscientific manner, leading to frequent incidents of landslides. Local residents bear the brunt of these incidents, as the highway remains closed for days at a stretch, severely impacting their connectivity to surrounding areas and causing significant hardships.