SHIMLA, July 28 — Morning traffic in the state capital suffered severe delays after heavy rainfall triggered a sudden landslide near the Lift area on Cart Road, leaving commuters stranded before municipal authorities managed to clear the debris. The temporary road closure in Shimla comes alongside broader public disruption across the state, where over 230 roads, 250 electricity transformers, and 90 water supply networks remain impaired.
Commuters caught in the morning bottleneck expressed concern over the abrupt road blockage. Local resident Karan Sharma maintained that the debris completely cut off access toward key medical facilities.
“When I reached near the Lift this morning, the road was fully blocked because of the landslide. There was not even enough space for a motorcycle to pass. I was taking a patient to Indira Gandhi Medical College, but we could not reach the hospital on time because of the blockage. People faced a lot of problems,” Sharma declared.
Another stranded commuter, Vijay Sharma, stated that vehicular movement came to a complete standstill during the morning commute. “The heavy rain triggered a landslide on Cart Road near the Lift and blocked the entire stretch. I was trying to reach the bus stand, but I could not move because of the traffic jam. I have been stuck here for almost an hour,” he asserted.
Beyond the capital city, the Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority reports that monsoon conditions have turned hazardous statewide. A fatal vehicle accident linked to bad weather in Chamba’s Banikhet region claimed five lives, while rising water levels flooded residential boundary walls in Sultanpur and caused flash floods in Chamba town. Emergency teams successfully evacuated five stranded individuals from the Manimahesh region.
Officials from the India Meteorological Department have cautioned that intense rain spells are expected to persist over the next 72 hours, prompting local administrations to keep heavy machinery deployed in vulnerable mountain corridors.
