Speaking at a meeting on Thursday evening, the Chief Minister highlighted the imperative need for robust drainage and cross-drainage systems along roads across the state. He declared that roads lacking adequate drainage solutions would not be approved for construction henceforth.
A team led by the Revenue Department Udhampur along with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and a local police team reached the Gole market on Thursday and started the drive.
The residents say contractors chop down trees in Upper Kohistan’s forests before “smuggling” their wood to Gilgit-Baltistan and other areas through the Karakoram Highway in large quantities.
Senior Superintendent of Police of Udhampur, Vinod Kumar, while talking about the incident, said that one pilgrim is in serious condition after the incident.
The Badrinath National Highway has been blocked in several areas of the Chamoli district, as a result of heavy rainfall in the state, said officials on Tuesday.
“Around 55 people have lost their lives in the state till now. The death toll might go up. Restoration work is being done on a war footing. Chandigarh-Shimla 4-lane highway along with other arterial roads has been opened," CM Sukhu said.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday accused the Central government of corruption in infrastructure projects saying that it is "taking the nation on a highway to hell".
Due to intermittent rains in the Chamoli district, from Sunday night, the Badrinath national highway has been blocked due to debris triggered by a landslide. Many vehicles have been buried under the debris.
The National Highway-5 from Parwanoo to Solan has been blocked intermittently due to rock, mudslides and landslides following heavy rainfall in the state, said an official statement on Sunday.