Mining to blame for Himachal Pradesh road cave-in

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, August 8

Limestone quarrying, which was underway at the toe of the slope at Kali Dhank till 2019, triggered the July 30 cave-in of 150-m stretch of the Paonta Sahib-Shillai road (NH-707), reveals a preliminary study by the Geological Survey of India (GSI).

GSI Study findings

• Limestone mining at Kali Dhank weakened the slope
• The cave-in of 150-m stretch of Paonta Sahib-Shillai road was triggered due to slope saturation

A three-member GSI team, which visited the site on August 3-4, submitted its report to the district administration on Sunday.

It states, “The slope was weakened due to mining near its toe. Recent heavy rains triggered the incident.”

Sounding a word of caution, the study suggests that the new road alignment must avoid a distress rock mass stretch found at the downstream shoulder of landslide near the road level. A minor slope failure has been recorded at its toe.

Though Barwas village, located further uphill area of the affected site, appears to be on stable ground,

the uphill mass, including village establishments, must be frequently observed for any ground signatures of slope instability, the report suggests.

Vivek Mahajan, Sub Divisional Magistrate, Paonta Sahib, said, “Several measures have been suggested by the GSI team to stabilise the slope, both while restoring the road and undertaking its widening. The company concerned has been directed to adhere to the suggestions.”

The GSI team comprised Manoj Kumar, Director, Engineering Geology Division, Pradap Jagan R, Geologist, and Abhinav Poonia, Assistant Geologist.