Friday, 18 August 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN/JOSHIMATH
The heavy rains and resulting activities like landslides have once again increased the number of roads blocked across the State. According to the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), at least 216 roads were reported to be blocked in different districts of the State on Thursday evening. The Rishikesh-Badrinath highway developed large cracks near Pursadi which has increased anxiety among the locals regarding the risk of a large portion of the road collapsing due to land subsidence.
This slide zone was inactive for some years after treatment work costing crores of rupees was undertaken here. The locals and regular road users were releaved for some time but the development of cracks of the road have once again raised anxiety levels here. The Chamoli police place reflector tapes on the affected portion of the road and appealed the public to use the road carefully. It is pertinent to mention here that this road is also important from the strategic point of view and is used by a large number of vehicles on a daily basis.
The development of cracks are causing considerable inconvenience to the road users. Meanwhile, similar or worse situations are being experienced in other parts of the State. In the Rudraprayag district 17 rural motor roads were reported to be blocked while four State highways, two main district roads and 41 rural motor roads were reported to be blocked in Pauri district. At least 23 rural motor roads are blocked in the Dehradun district while one main district road and 18 rural motor roads were reported to be blocked in the Uttarkashi district.
Three State highways, two main district roads and 29 rural motor roads were reported to be blocked in Tehri district while one State highway, one main district road, two other district roads and 40 rural motor roads were reported to be blocked in Chamoli district. One rural motor road was blocked in Almora district while 10 rural motor roads were blocked in Nainital district. Similarly, four rural motor roads were reported blocked in Bageshwar district, one State highway and three rural motor roads were reported blocked in Champawat district and one border road and 11 rural motor roads were reported blocked in Pithoragarh district. The authorities are working to reopen the blocked roads for traffic.
