Vehicles stranded as landslides hit Bageshwar-P’garh NH

Bageshwar: Incessant rainfall triggered multiple landslides near the Kanda tehsil complex on the Bageshwar-Pithoragarh National Highway, which serves as a key border link, on Monday, blocking traffic for nearly 10 hours and stranding around 500 vehicles. The road was briefly cleared and traffic moved for about two hours before fresh debris again brought vehicles to a halt.Residents alleged that despite continuous rain, the rural works department (RWD) pressed ahead with constructing residential quarters in the area. This was followed by tree felling by the Uttarakhand Forest Development Corporation (UAFDC), which they said "destabilised the slope. Since then, the hillside has been slipping, threatening the highway, the tehsil building and nearby homes".Officials maintained that remedial measures are under way. Kanda SDM Lalit Mohan Tiwari said, "Construction had been halted and steps initiated to safeguard the tehsil complex." RWD executive engineer Sanjay Bharti admitted tree felling had contributed to the landslide, but added that debris removal was ongoing and new buildings would only be constructed at safer sites.Alam Mehra, a resident, said, "Officials' carelessness has caused the mountain to collapse. Now both the highway and our homes are in danger."Another resident, Vijay Karki, added: "They shook the whole mountain, ruined the highway and are now trying to wash their hands of responsibility. Travellers are bearing the brunt."Truck driver Devendra Kumar, carrying vegetables from Haldwani, said he had already been driving 14 hours before being stuck another eight in the jam. "There are no machines, no staff to clear the road. They have turned a good road into another landslide zone," he said.