Landslide blocks key border road in Uttarakhand

A landslide blocked the vital Tawaghat-Lipulekh road in Uttarakhand's Dharchula, stranding vehicles and cutting off access to three valleys. The BRO swiftly cleared the debris, restoring access late Saturday. The slide, likely caused by road widening, occurred near Tawaghat. Luckily, the reduced winter traffic prevented any casualties or property damage on this treacherous route to Kailash Mansarovar.

PITHORAGARH: A major landslide on Saturday halted vehicular movement on the Tawaghat-Lipulekh road in Dharchula tehsil , cutting off access to the Darma, Byas and Chauda valleys. No casualties or property damage was reported. The Tawaghat-Lipulekh road, situated along the Kali river and bordering Nepal and China, serves as a crucial route for Kailash Mansarovar and Adi Kailash pilgrims.

Maintained by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the road is known for its treacherous stretches that are prone to landslides. Pithoragarh district magistrate Vinod Goswami said the landslide occurred near Tawaghat, leaving over a dozen vehicles stranded on either side of the blockage. BRO teams and Dharchula sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) inspected the site and began clearance operations.

The road was cleared by late Saturday evening using earth-moving equipment. "The landslide was likely triggered by ongoing road-widening works. Fortunately, the low vehicular movement during winter helped prevent casualties," said Bhupendra Singh Mahar, Pithoragarh's district disaster management officer.

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