Heavy rain triggers major road collapse on Pathankot–Chamba–Bharmaur highway; Manimahesh Yatra hit
PTC Web Desk: Continuous rainfall for the past three days in Dunera, located near Himachal Pradesh–Punjab border, has caused a significant portion of the Pathankot–Chamba–Bharmaur National Highway 154-A to collapse. At around 7 am on Tuesday, nearly 20 metres of the road near Dunera in Chamba district sank completely. Vehicular movement has been suspended on the route.
Following the road collapse, traffic has been halted in both directions, leading to long queues of stranded vehicles. One vehicle was reported stuck precariously at the edge of the damaged section.
The highway closure has severely impacted the daily supply of essential goods, including milk, curd, butter, bread, eggs, and vegetables, from Punjab to Chamba and Kangra districts.
The disruption has also affected the ongoing Manimahesh Yatra, as more than 100 vehicles carrying pilgrims from Punjab and Jammu use this highway daily to reach Bharmaur. Tourism in Bharmaur, Dalhousie, Banikhet, and other popular hill destinations has also been brought to a standstill due to the closure.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has deployed machinery to restore the road. However, persistent rainfall is hampering repair efforts. The India Meteorological Department’s Shimla centre has issued a heavy rain warning for the region until August 14, potentially delaying restoration work further.
- With inputs from agencies
