Himachal Pradesh Braces for Monsoon: Are We Ready?

Himachal Pradesh Braces for Monsoon: Are We Ready?

Dharamsala (arvind Sharma) 10/6/24

This year, the weather department has announced the arrival of monsoon in Himachal Pradesh around June 20th, a date that is fast approaching. Last year, the monsoon season caused massive destruction across the state. Many lives were lost, and both government and private property suffered damage amounting to crores of rupees.

One of the most significant impacts was on transportation, with hundreds of roads and bridges being washed away in the floods. Kangra district, in particular, experienced severe destruction, leaving many roads partially or completely closed for several months.

The pressing question is whether the state and central governments, along with the relevant departments and administration, are prepared for this year’s monsoon. Have they taken concrete steps to prevent a repeat of last year’s devastation?

Dharamsala, the capital of Kangra district, is a major tourist city connected by road to neighboring states such as Punjab, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. The ongoing four-laning projects of the national highways originating from Dharamsala, which connect the city and district to Pathankot, Shimla, and Chandigarh, involve extensive mountainous land mass cutting. Despite it being the summer season, even now a days frequent traffic jams lasting hours are already occurring on these highways due to the enormous amount of debris and mud.

With the monsoon approaching in just 10 days, there is a growing concern that the district might once again be cut off from the rest of the country due to the ongoing, poorly managed four-laning work on these national highways.

In this context, it is crucial to ask: Is the district administration paying attention and taking measures to ensure that traffic flow on the Dharamsala-Shimla and Mandi-Pathankot national highways is not disrupted during the monsoon? Or are residents and travelers destined to face the same chaos as last year?

 The coming days will be a test of the preparedness and responsiveness of the authorities. Ensuring the continuous operation of these crucial highways during the monsoon season is essential for the safety and convenience of the public. It is imperative that the administration takes proactive steps to mitigate the risks and challenges posed by the imminent monsoon rains.

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