Himachal High Court pulls up NHAI over slow slope protection work on Chandigarh-Shimla highway

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 21 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh High Court has expressed concern over the slow pace of slope protection work on the Chandigarh-Shimla National Highway, where frequent landslides have disrupted traffic and endangered commuters.
In its latest affidavit, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) informed the court that out of 41 identified locations along the 21-km Solan-Kaithlighat stretch, slope protection has been completed at only nine sites, while work is ongoing at 32 others. NHAI also said that in total, 42 locations along the highway required protection measures, of which 28 have been completed, with the remaining works scheduled for completion by March 16, 2026.
The bench, recalling its earlier directions, noted that NHAI had previously claimed to have carried out slope protection at 17 sites and mentioned the existence of seven diversions between Solan and Kaithlighat. The court observed that there was still no clarity on whether these diversions had been reduced.
"Despite sufficient time and leverage already having been given, progress remains unsatisfactory," the court remarked, underlining that debris continues to fall from stretches left unprotected. It also noted that at one location, even the installed protective netting had collapsed along with the slope material.
The Chandigarh-Shimla highway is one of the busiest routes in Himachal Pradesh and has faced repeated closures due to landslides triggered by monsoon rains. The High Court has been monitoring NHAI's compliance and progress on the matter. (ANI)