Mandi/Kullu, Sept. 4 — In a dramatic operation on Thursday, district administrations of Mandi and Kullu ensured the safe transfer of a critically injured patient through the landslide-ravaged Kiratpur-Manali highway, turning what officials called a perilous situation into a coordinated rescue success.
A major landslide struck the Akhara Bazar area of Kullu district in the morning, injuring three members of a family. One of them, a 32-year-old man with severe head injuries, was referred from Kullu Hospital to AIIMS Bilaspur, setting off a race against time on a highway battered by continuous rainfall and multiple landslides.
Responding to an urgent appeal from the patient’s family, Kullu Deputy Commissioner Torul S. Ravish and Mandi Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan coordinated to clear a path for the ambulance. Near Aut, the Manali-Kiratpur four-lane highway was completely blocked by a fresh slide, prompting immediate intervention.
Under the supervision of SDM Balichowki Deviram and SDM Sadar Rupinder Kaur, the Mandi administration launched an emergency clearance drive. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), along with other departments, deployed heavy machinery and JCBs to remove debris. Authorities also stationed backup ambulances at key points in case a transfer became necessary, while simultaneously scouting alternate routes.
Despite the swelling Beas river and treacherous stretches through Ddawa and Kainchi Mod, the ambulance was provided with a virtual “green corridor” to accelerate its movement. Officials said three JCB machines were lost during the operation, but the patient was successfully transported through Mandi and reached Bilaspur by afternoon.
“This was a collective effort. Saving every life remains the top priority of the state government and local administration,” DC Apoorv Devgan said. He thanked officers, NHAI workers, machine operators and support staff “whose relentless efforts turned a crisis into a coordinated rescue success.”
The operation, officials noted, underscored the power of administrative coordination and human determination in the face of nature’s fury.
