A major landslide at Chakki Mod on the Kalka–Shimla National Highway (NH-5) early Sunday morning brought traffic to a complete standstill for nearly two hours, stranding hundreds of commuters and causing a two-kilometre-long jam in both directions. The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, occurred around 7 am, blocking the arterial mountain highway that connects the plains to Himachal Pradesh’s capital.
According to officials from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), vehicular movement was suspended temporarily to facilitate the safe removal of debris and restore road functionality. Workers swiftly deployed earthmoving equipment to clear the road, and traffic was resumed on both sides by around 9 am. Commuters were advised to remain calm during the disruption, and no injuries were reported. Chakki Mod has long been a known landslide-prone zone, particularly during monsoon months, and Sunday’s disruption once again exposed the fragility of transport infrastructure in this high-altitude corridor. This location has seen repeated instances of slope failure in recent years, leading to increasing calls for structural reinforcements and realignment of the highway to ensure long-term stability and commuter safety.
Simultaneously, the impact of heavy rainfall was felt across the region. The UNESCO-listed Kalka–Shimla heritage railway line also faced major disruptions due to debris on the tracks. Stonefall and fallen trees blocked the narrow-gauge railway line near Koti, between Kasauli and Solan, leading to suspension of all train services in the section. The first train of the day was stranded at Koti, while other services were halted at Kalka and Gumman. Rail authorities confirmed that operations would resume only once the tracks were declared safe and cleared of all obstructions. Widespread heavy rain across Himachal Pradesh led the India Meteorological Department (IMD) to issue alerts for multiple districts, forecasting sustained intense rainfall for at least two days. The effects of this weather event have been widespread. In Shimla, landslides blocked the access road to Chamyana Hospital, while in Bhattakufer, boulders damaged parked vehicles. In the Bathwell area of Sanjauli Ward, a mother and daughter were temporarily trapped inside their home after debris crashed into the structure. Municipal and disaster response teams reached the site promptly to assist in the rescue.
The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), in anticipation of rising water levels, opened all five spillway gates of the Pandoh Dam on Sunday morning. This action significantly increased the outflow into the Beas River, with nearly 44,000 cusecs of water being released downstream. Officials noted a sharp rise in silt levels, measured at 4,000 PPM, which forced a temporary halt to power generation at the Dehar hydropower station and the closure of the Baggi tunnel to protect turbine machinery from damage. Experts in regional infrastructure and disaster management have reiterated the need for immediate and sustained investments in landslide mitigation along NH-5. They emphasised the urgency for slope reinforcement measures, construction of retaining walls, installation of protective barriers, and consideration of alternate alignments for recurring hazard zones like Chakki Mod. Despite past commitments, the implementation of such measures has been slow, leaving commuters and freight movement vulnerable to nature’s unpredictability.
Train operations in the hills remain equally precarious. Given the historical and tourism importance of the Kalka–Shimla railway line, the disruption has once again raised questions about maintenance protocols and the effectiveness of current protective measures. Authorities are now under increasing pressure to modernise the infrastructure while preserving the railway’s heritage status. In recent years, the Himachal Pradesh government has made several requests to the central government and NHAI to explore tunnel-based bypasses and newer alignments for NH-5 that would avoid critical zones like Chakki Mod. While survey and feasibility studies are said to be underway, their execution remains far from reality. With the frequency of extreme weather events increasing, experts warn that without structural intervention, travel safety in the region will continue to be compromised every monsoon season.
The early monsoon’s impact this year has been severe across the Himalayan belt. Preliminary data shows rainfall in several districts has been 200 to 300 percent above normal. Landslides, flash floods, damaged infrastructure, and power disruptions have already been reported from various parts of Himachal and Uttarakhand. Emergency services are on alert, and state agencies have urged travellers to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary travel to high-risk areas until the weather stabilises. As transport and infrastructure services gradually resume, the latest incident at Chakki Mod highlights the urgency of building resilient, climate-adaptive infrastructure in India’s mountain states. The restoration efforts, though swift, cannot replace long-term solutions that prioritise safety, accessibility, and ecological balance in these vulnerable zones.
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