Residents Flee Homes as Tunneling Cracks Buildings in Shimla’s Outskirt Chalaunthi
Fresh fears gripped a populated neighborhood on the outskirts of Shimla late Friday night, as large cracks suddenly split through two homes and a local hotel. The alarming damage, spotted around 10 pm in Chalaunthi, forced families and business owners to evacuate immediately.
Among the affected was the popular ABC Bar and Restaurant, now emptied as a safety precaution. Thankfully, no one was hurt.
The source of the terror appears to lie directly beneath their feet: an under-construction four-lane tunnel. Visible fissures spread across walls and floors of buildings sitting above the tunnel route, sparking urgent fears the structures could become unstable. The worry extended to the nearby Sanjauli-Dhali bypass road, where new cracks prompted officials to shut it down to all traffic.
Police quickly cordoned off the area to keep people safe, advising travelers heading to Upper Shimla, Sunni, and Karsog to find other routes.
For locals, the incident is a frightening confirmation of their repeated warnings. They blame constant ground vibrations and shifting soil from the tunnel work, saying their complaints to authorities and the construction company went unheeded.
This event has reopened wounds in the community, following closely after the recent Bhattakufar sinkhole. It has deepened public distrust and anxiety about the safety of large-scale construction in Shimla’s delicate hills.
In response, the district administration has ordered a thorough technical inspection of the area and demanded detailed reports from the builders. Officials have assured residents that their safety will come before any project deadline, with next steps depending entirely on expert advice.
