The Kiratpur-Manali four-lane highway in Himachal Pradesh’s Bilaspur district was shut to vehicular movement beyond Mandi Bharari Chowk on Sunday after rocks continued to fall near the Mehla area, police said, according to PTI.
The road closure followed fresh rockfall on Sunday afternoon, prompting authorities to divert traffic through alternative routes. The development comes as parts of Himachal Pradesh continue to face disruption due to heavy monsoon rainfall and related incidents.
Traffic diverted through alternative routes
Vehicles travelling from Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi and Kullu towards Chandigarh are being diverted from Nauni Chowk through Mandi Bharari Bridge towards Swarghat.
In the opposite direction, traffic heading from Chandigarh towards Bilaspur, Hamirpur, Mandi, Kullu and Manali is being routed through Swarghat and Nauni Chowk before rejoining the four-lane highway.
Authorities have asked commuters to follow the designated diversion routes and cooperate with traffic police personnel. Drivers have also been advised against unnecessary overtaking, urged to maintain traffic discipline and asked to give priority to emergency vehicles, according to PTI.
For emergencies, commuters can contact the authorities at 01978-221059 and 01978-221060.
118 roads closed across Himachal Pradesh
The highway disruption comes amid widespread rain-related damage across the state. The State Emergency Operation Centre said 118 roads were closed in Himachal Pradesh as of Sunday evening due to heavy rainfall and related incidents, as per PTI.
Mandi recorded the highest number of road closures at 44, followed by Kullu with 39 and Shimla with 13. Chamba reported seven closures, while Sirmaur had six, Kangra five, Una three and Solan one. At least 18 water supply projects have also been affected.
The India Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places in three districts over the next two days. The warning is in place for Kangra and Sirmaur on Monday, while Kangra and Mandi are under the alert for Tuesday.
Under the IMD’s colour-coded warning system, an orange alert indicates that severe weather is likely and may cause significant disruption to transport and power services.
Light to moderate rainfall was recorded at several locations on Sunday. Paonta Sahib received the highest rainfall at 38.2 mm, followed by Sarahan at 25.8 mm, while Dharamshala recorded 6.2 mm.
Since the onset of the monsoon on June 30, at least 68 people have died in rain-related incidents across Himachal Pradesh, officials said. The toll includes 14 deaths in landslides and one in a flash flood. The state has reported estimated losses of Rs 835 crore during the period.
The weather department has forecast continued wet conditions in Himachal Pradesh until August 15. Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti recorded the state’s lowest minimum temperature at 11 degrees Celsius, while Una recorded the highest maximum temperature at 34.6 degrees Celsius.