Monday, 28 AUGUST 2023 | PNS | JOSHIMATH
The national highway to Badrinath has been damaged by subsidence and landslides at various places in the Chamoli district. Danger zones have developed on a number of locations on the national highway following the rains in the district. The stretch of Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway at Maithana is gradually subsiding towards the Alaknanda river which is posing a risk to the vehicles plying on this part of the highway. For the time being, the National Highway personnel have filled soil to enable traffic movement on the section suffering from subsidence. Observers point out that this portion may subside into the Alaknanda if permanent treatment is not undertaken soon. At Chhinka the highway has become narrower due to debris consistently falling from the mountain above. Even light rain is resulting in this stretch of the highway being closed. Apart from this, a portion of the highway is reportedly subsiding at Bhanerpani in Peepalkoti due to which inconvenience is being faced in traffic movement. Apart from this landslide debris are also falling intermittently on the road. The condition of the highway is not good at Pagal Nala either where the surface is being washed away when the water level rises suddenly. This has resulted in repeated closure of this stretch. Similarly, the condition of the highway at Belakuchi has also been affected by debris landing here consistently. A similar problem is being faced at Gulabkoti where consistent falling of debris has resulted in a pile of debris on a 200 metre stretch of the roadside. When the highway is blocked by debris, the debris are being cleared and piled along the highway resulting in the pile. The rains have also caused a considerable deterioration in the condition of the national highway at Taiya bridge, Lambagad and Hanumanchatti. The authorities have deployed mechanical excavators at danger points for reopening the highway. Work on clearing the debris and reopening the road to traffic is being started swiftly as soon as the road is being blocked by debris.
