Landslips near Nainbagh leave commuters stranded

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, August 23

Frequent landslips between Kharson and Kyari villages, near Nainbagh, on the Yamunotri Highway in Tehri Garhwal district has become a bane of commuters, pilgrims and locals.

This stretch at Khayund Khud between Kharsaun and Kyari villages was blocked several times due to landslides during the past two weeks, leaving commuters stranded for several hours. Traffic jams are also being witnessed at Nainbagh village once debris is cleared of the road between Kharson and Kyari villages. Falling boulders are a constant threat to schoolchildren who cross the road to go to school. Local residents said falling boulders and landslips triggered by incessant rains led to blockage of the road for more than four hours, causing inconvenience to pilgrims on their way to Char Dham. The road also connects important towns such as Mussoorie, Barkot, Naugaon and the holy shrine of Yamunotri. Farmers from the apple belt use this road to transport their produce to markets at Dehradun. They remain stranded on the blocked road for several hours.

Executive Engineer of the national highway at Barkot Navneet Pandey said landslips at the site was a new development and they cleared the debris from the road using JCB machines. He said once rains stop they would treat the danger zone with wire crates.