580 roads blocked across Himachal Pradesh due to rains, restoration underway: PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)[India], July 1 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Tuesday said that heavy rainfall and widespread landslides have blocked over 580 roads across the state.
He added that restoration work is actively underway, particularly in the Mandi and Kullu districts, which have suffered the most damage over the past 24 hours.
Since last night, there has been heavy rainfall across the state. The worst-hit areas include Siraj, Karsog, and Sarkaghat in Mandi district," Vikramaditya Singh told ANI.
"Restoration work is ongoing in all landslide-affected areas. In locations where bridges have been washed away, we had pre-procured modular bridges that are already stored in Dharamshala, Mandi, Kullu, and Shimla, and these will be deployed once conditions stabilise."
Appealing for caution, the Minister urged people to avoid unnecessary travel.
"I appeal to people to step out only when absolutely necessary. Alerts are there and district commissioners are issuing local advisories based on evolving situation," the minister said.
He said teams of the State Police, PWD, SDRF, and NDRF have been deployed in affected areas to assist in relief and restoration work. While comprehensive damage data is still being collected, Singh said that saving lives and restoring essential connectivity remain the top priorities.
On allegations of misconduct in an incident involving Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh and NHAI officials, Vikramaditya Singh stated that he had limited information but that the matter had been brought to the attention of the Chief Minister.
The controversy arose following the collapse of a five-storey building in the Bhattakufar area of Shimla, where residents and local leaders alleged negligence on the part of NHAI. It was reported that Minister Anirudh Singh confronted NHAI officials at the site, prompting some of them to file a complaint.
NHAI officials have alleged that the minister assaulted them and have filed a case.
"I don't have full details about the incident, but Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has rised the issue with me. The matter has been brought to the notice of the Chief Minister, and whatever action is appropriate will be taken," said Vikramaditya Singh.
Reacting to Rajeev Bindal's re-election as Himachal BJP chief, Vikramaditya Singh criticised the process, calling it undemocratic.
"The BJP claims to be the world's largest political party, yet they nominated only one person for the post. How can this be called an election?" he asked.
"If they truly believe in democracy and being the world's largest party, there should have been at least two nominees. Nominating only one person does not reflect democratic values."
While Singh acknowledged it was an internal matter for the BJP, he emphasised that such actions contradict the party's claims of being democratic and representative. (ANI)