Chandigarh-Manali National Highway Blocked for Hours Due to Landslide
Continuous rain since last night triggered a landslide on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway NH21, bringing traffic to a complete standstill from around 8 a.m. The highway has now been closed for almost 6 hours, causing a significant traffic jam, with vehicles backed up for miles.
In a scary turn of events, a rock from the hillside crashed onto a Maruti car during the landslide, injuring the driver. Fortunately, the injuries are minor, and the driver is receiving treatment at Zonal Hospital, Mandi.
The rain hasn’t let up yet, making it difficult for the authorities to clear the debris and reopen the highway. The landslide occurred at several points between 6, 7, and 9 Miles early Friday morning, forcing a complete halt to traffic. While small vehicles are being rerouted through alternate roads, heavy vehicles are stuck on the highway, unable to move.
ASP Mandi, Sagar Chandra, provided an update, stating, “The highway has been shut for about two hours now, and due to the continuous rain, it’s proving tough to clear the road. At 6 Miles, a falling rock struck a Maruti car, injuring the driver. There were four people in the car at the time. Thankfully, the driver is being treated for minor injuries at the hospital. Unfortunately, landslides are still occurring near 9 Miles, so it might be several hours before the highway is cleared and safe to use again.”
With the highway still closed after 6 hours, the landslide has caused a massive traffic pile-up, leaving commuters stranded and waiting for the road to be reopened.
