Progress or Peril ?: Commuters Face Risks on Mandi-Pandoh Route

Mandi: “It feels like playing with death every time we travel on this road,” says Bal Kishan, a daily commuter from Pandoh. His fear is not unfounded—landslides and rockfalls on the Mandi-Pandoh stretch of the four-lane highway have turned travel into a life-threatening gamble.

Despite repeated warnings and past tragedies, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the construction company remain shockingly indifferent.

On Friday, two major landslides near Char Mile and Nine Mile left the highway completely blocked for hours, with vehicles stranded and commuters forced to wait helplessly as debris covered the road.

This has become a regular occurrence, exposing the shoddy planning behind the four-lane construction.

The project, meant to ensure safer travel, has instead made the highway even more dangerous. Experts blame unscientific hill-cutting, lack of slope stabilization, and zero preventive infrastructure —no retaining walls, no rock netting, and no contingency plans for emergencies.

“The authorities know this road is landslide-prone, yet they continue reckless excavation without reinforcing the hills,” says Vishal Verma, a local contractor. “Why weren’t preventive measures put in place before starting the project?”

This isn’t the first time negligence has been exposed. Since 2023, multiple accidents and fatalities have occurred due to falling boulders and sudden landslides. Yet, instead of ensuring a safer road, authorities have left travelers to fend for themselves.

Brij Lal, an accountant who takes this route daily, voices his frustration: “I have no choice but to use this road, and each journey feels like a risk to my life. Are they waiting for a massive tragedy before they act?”

Locals have long demanded a tunnel between Mandi and Pandoh and a flyover at Nine Mile to prevent further disasters. But their pleas continue to be ignored.

Sunil Chadda