Dharamsala-McLeodganj road narrows to 6 ft after rain damage

A key section of the Dharamsala–McLeodganj road near Kali Mata Mandir has once again suffered severe damage due to continuous rainfall over the past two weeks. Heavy rains last night caused nearly half the road to collapse, reducing its width to just six feet and endangering thousands of daily commuters.

This road is not only crucial for linking Dharamsala to McLeodganj—home to the Dalai Lama’s residence and a major international tourist destination—but also serves an Army cantonment. Over 1,500 vehicles use the route daily, with traffic doubling during the peak tourist season.

Despite multiple repairs by the Public Works Department (PWD), the lower slopes of this landslide-prone stretch collapse repeatedly during the monsoon. Assistant Executive Engineer Dharmendra Singh admitted the limitations of past repairs. “We carried out crate work last year, but it couldn’t withstand the rains. This area falls under a sliding zone,” he said.

Recently, a team from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Mumbai, assessed the site and suggested a robust solution: a wall of cratework starting from the national highway, reinforced with wire-matt and concrete pillars near the ropeway pillar. A Rs 17-crore proposal based on their recommendations has been approved by the state and sent to the Union government for funding under the National Disaster Relief Fund.

A major contributing factor to the recurring damage is the lack of proper drainage along the route. Despite significant annual spending on maintenance, the absence of a long-term approach has left this strategic road increasingly fragile.

Himachal Tribune