MANDI: The Chandigarh–Kiratpur–Mandi–Manali National Highway was blocked near Thalot, around 25 km from Mandi, on Thursday after a landslide occurred near a tunnel following heavy morning rain, leaving a large number of tourists, local commuters and fruit-laden vehicles stranded for hours.
The landslide brought traffic on the busy mountain highway to a standstill, disrupting the movement of vehicles travelling towards Manali as well as those returning from Manali and Kullu towards Mandi, Solan, Chandigarh and other destinations.
The blockage has also hit the movement of apples and other fruit from the Mandi region to major markets in Punjab, Haryana and Delhi. With the apple season at its peak, prolonged disruption on the highway could further delay transportation of perishable produce and add to the difficulties already faced by growers and transporters.
Tourists travelling towards Manali were caught in the jam, while vehicles carrying tourists returning from Kullu and Manali also remained stranded on the highway. Many travellers were forced to wait for hours as the debris continued to block the road.
National Highway engineers said machinery had been deployed at the site to remove the landslide debris and restore traffic. However, the highway remained blocked for several hours as clearance work continued.
The landslide followed heavy rainfall in the area during the morning. The rainfall has also pushed up the water level in the Beas, adding to concerns along the already vulnerable highway stretch.
The Chandigarh–Manali highway is a critical lifeline for tourism as well as the transportation of agricultural produce from the hill districts. Repeated weather-related disruptions on the route can quickly affect tourists, local commuters, transport operators and apple growers dependent on timely access to markets.
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