Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, August 27
Monsoon rains battered Himachal Pradesh, cutting off key routes and damaging infrastructure. Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday said massive landslides and flooding led to ₹158 crore in losses in just two days. Relief teams are working round the clock to restore connectivity.
According to the minister, losses between 24 and 26 August alone stood at ₹158 crore. Over 1,091 roads remain blocked, seven bridges have collapsed, and two were completely washed away. Nearly 912 machines have been deployed for restoration and relief efforts.
Kullu district recorded damages worth around ₹30 crore, including the Manalsu bridge that connects Manali with Old Manali. Around 257 km of road network was affected, with 10 km washed away entirely. Kangra district also reported losses worth ₹30 crore.
Vikramaditya Singh said that since the start of the monsoon season, the Public Works Department has incurred damages of ₹1,444.56 crore, with 5,667 km of roads and 70 bridges impacted. While many roads have been temporarily reopened, continuous rainfall is hampering full restoration.
