Saralnama
Heavy rains and landslides in Himachal Pradesh have caused extensive damage to the Kiratpur-Manali highway, particularly the stretch from Pandoh to Manali, which has been completely washed away. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has reported losses exceeding 1,000 crore rupees, four times higher than the 2023 floods. Flooding of the Beas River late Monday night severely damaged the road at six locations between Kullu and Manali, complicating machinery access for repairs. NHAI has deployed 20 to 30 machines at multiple sites, including Pandoh-Takoli and Zalog, to expedite restoration work. Landslides have caused road collapses and water diversion damage, with heavy machinery breaking down large rocks to clear the way. Hundreds of vehicles and people remain stranded between Pandoh and Aut due to the road disruptions. Senior NHAI officials and engineers are overseeing the repair efforts, aiming to reopen the highway by Thursday afternoon if weather permits. Additional damage includes the luxury bus stand in Manali and the Dohlou toll barrier area, where roads are submerged. The scale of destruction has made restoration challenging, with some road sections completely disappearing and requiring full reconstruction. (Updated 27 Aug 2025, 20:19 IST; source: link)