MANDI, Aug. 24 — Landslides triggered by heavy rain brought traffic to a standstill on Sunday along the Kiratpur-Manali national highway, stranding hundreds of vehicles between Mandi and Kullu, officials said.
Debris from multiple landslides blocked the road near the ropeway and Jognimata temple in Mandi district. Continuous rainfall since early morning had loosened hill slopes, sending large rocks and mud cascading onto the highway.
The disruption was compounded when the alternative route via Kataula was also blocked at Kanauj, leaving no passage for vehicles in either direction. Buses, taxis and goods carriers have been stuck on both sides of the highway, forcing many passengers to wait by the roadside in difficult weather.
Police issued a travel advisory warning motorists to avoid the stretch until further notice. “The situation is being closely monitored, and we request people not to undertake any unnecessary travel on the route,” a police officer said.
The National Highways Authority of India deployed emergency teams with JCBs to clear the debris. Officials said restoration work was under way and traffic would be reopened “at the earliest.”
Local administration and emergency services have been pressed into service to provide assistance to stranded commuters. Authorities said the double blockade — on both the main highway and the Kataula-Kanauj route — has created heavy congestion and could take time to fully resolve.
