Himachal: 109 roads remain blocked after Monsoon rains; power, water services partially restored
Shimla, August 3
Heavy monsoon rains continued to disrupt essential services across Himachal Pradesh on Monday, with 109 roads remaining blocked, six electricity distribution transformers out of service and 30 water supply schemes affected, according to the State Emergency Operation Centre.
The latest SEOC status report, issued at 6:00 PM, indicated that restoration work had significantly improved the situation compared to the morning, when 137 roads were blocked and more than 400 distribution transformers had been disrupted due to widespread rainfall.
Road connectivity remained the worst affected sector, with 109 roads closed across the state. Mandi district accounted for the highest number of road closures at 43, followed by Kullu (39), Sirmaur (8) and Shimla (6). The SEOC said no National Highway was blocked as of Monday evening.
Power supply was restored in most affected areas during the day. The number of disrupted distribution transformers declined sharply from 405 in the morning to six by the evening, with five non-functional transformers in Shimla district and one in Chamba district.
Water supply disruptions, however, increased slightly, with 30 water supply schemes affected across the state. Hamirpur district reported the highest number of disrupted schemes at 13, followed by Shimla (9), Chamba (7) and Mandi (1).
Authorities said restoration teams from the Public Works Department, Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) and Jal Shakti Department continued to work in the affected districts to clear roads, restore electricity and resume drinking water supply.
The administration has advised residents in vulnerable areas to remain cautious as monsoon conditions continue across the state.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Mandi and Kullu districts seem to be the worst hit every year. 43 roads blocked in Mandi alone - that's devastating for local communities who depend on those routes for daily supplies. My heart goes out to the villagers in remote areas who face these challenges every monsoon. Hope the administration is paying special attention to them.
The improvement from morning to evening shows the administration is on its toes. But let's be honest - 109 roads still blocked is concerning. Also, water supply schemes increased from what must have been lower to 30 now. The 13 disrupted schemes in Hamirpur need urgent attention - no one should be without clean drinking water. 💧
It's good that no national highway is blocked, but the state highways and rural roads are crucial too. 43 roads in Mandi is huge. The administration should start forecasting and preparing earlier - pre-positioning equipment and manpower in flood-prone areas before the monsoon peak. Prevention is better than cure.
The resilience of the Himalayan communities is truly inspiring. As someone from the US, I can see how challenging this terrain makes restoration work - it's not like flat lands. The progress in one day is commendable. I hope the restoration teams get proper rest and safety measures while they work in such conditions.
This is exactly why we need climate-resilient infrastructure in our hill states. The same roads get washed away every year in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Kashmir. We must move from temporary patching to permanent solutions - retaining walls, better culverts, and proper hill slope management.
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