Mandi (Himachal Pradesh): There is a piece of good news for the drivers stuck on the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway that was shut due to a landslide near Six Mile area in Mandi on July 8.
Vehicular movement has resumed on the highway through a single lane on Saturday morning.
Along with Chandigarh-Manali National Highway, the Chandigarh-Shimla National Highway was also blocked due to landslide. The Chandigarh-Shimla highway was opened for one-way traffic four days back.
Several commuters, including tourists remained stranded after both highways were blocked. An alternate route, Kamand Kataula had also remained shut for three days due to a landslide near Ghoda Farm of Kamand. It was later opened to vehicular traffic through a single lane.
In order to restore the highway, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) workers worked over 16 hours a day, officials said. Additional Superintendent of Police Sagar Chandra said that due to heavy rains, the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway was closed in several places.
"The major impact of the landslide was near Six Miles area. This spot has been repaired and traffic has been restored partially. It will take another week to restore the both-way traffic," he said.
With restoration of the Chandigarh-Manali National Highway, drivers can now travel till Kullu. Around 400 vehicles that are stuck in Mandi are being diverted towards Kullu while passengers of around 100 vehicles stuck in Kullu have been evacuated, officials said.
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Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu informed on Twitter that evacuation of the stranded people has been completed. "About 70,000 tourists have been safely evacuated and now only about 500 tourists have voluntarily stayed back. About 15,000 vehicles have been pulled out and electricity, water and mobile services have been temporarily restored in 80 per cent of the disaster-hit areas," Sukhu tweeted.
