Locals, tourists Lambast NHAI and HPWD, NH wing as Kufri–Theog stretch sinks into neglect. Condition no Better Further.
Shimla, Oct 18:
Forget a scenic mountain drive — the Shimla–Theog National Highway has turned into a bone-rattling nightmare.
The once-smooth lifeline connecting the state capital to Upper Shimla, Narkanda, and Kinnaur is now dotted with potholes, water pits, and craters, forcing vehicles to lurch and crawl like bullock carts.
The stretch between Kufri and Theog, a key tourist and traffic corridor, is the worst hit.
It’s so battered that locals joke, “If your spine survives this ride, your car won’t.”
“I travel daily between Shimla and Theog for my work — it’s torture now,” says Ajay Justa, a local trader.
“Every morning I feel like I’m on a mountain expedition, not a highway. The road has vanished under potholes. Even ambulances struggle here, giving patients nightmares .”
Tourists, too, are stunned by the condition of this srategich national highway that leads up to the Indo-China border through Kinnaur.
“We thought we will have a hassle free drive to Kufri and beyond, but this road is a horror show,” said Rohit Sharma, a tourist from Delhi.
“Our vehicle got stuck twice in water-filled craters. So much for Himachal’s hospitality! ”Here are two paragraphs you can insert into your story:
With the rains easing up, the stretch between Kufri and Theog has now turned into a pall of dust.
What was once a muddy mess is now a dry, choking trail of flying soil.
Every passing vehicle raises thick clouds of dust that hang over the highway for minutes, blinding visibility and coating everything — from apples to school uniforms — in a fine brown layer.
The situation has become a living hell for commuters and locals alike. The constant jerks from the cratered road are leaving people with backaches and spinal strains, while the dust is triggering bouts of cough, bronchial allergies, and other respiratory ailments.
“Earlier it was mud and slush, now it’s dust and disease,” said a local taxi driver grimly.
Locals say the road hasn’t seen proper maintenance for years. Frequent landslides, unchecked drainage, and poor engineering have worsened things, but the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways have allegedly turned a blind eye.
“It’s a living hell. You can count a hundred craters in just ten kilometers,” said Pawan Chauhan, a taxi driver who ferries passengers daily onjìì this route. “Tyres burst, suspensions break, and during rains, it’s like driving through ponds. We’ve complained to everyone — no one listens.”
Ironically, the same ministry led by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, known for promising “seamless travel across India,” is facing public outrage in Himachal for allowing this vital mountain artery to rot.
For now, the Shimla–Theog–Narkanda highway stand as a glaring symbol of official apathy and bureaucratic indifference, where commuters risk their vehicles — and sometimes their bones — just to get to work.
#Shimla #Theog #NHAI #RoadNeglect #HimachalPradesh #TouristTrouble
