Arunachal: Landslide disrupts traffic on NH 415 due to heavy rain, rampant earth cutting

A landslide blocked National Highway 415, disrupting traffic between Holongi and Itanagar on July 22. 

Following this several vehicles were stuck in mud and debris caused by the landslide, which occurred early this morning due to heavy rain. 

The route is crucial as it links Itanagar to Donyi Polo Airport and Assam. 

The Papum Pare district administration and highway department have deployed two JCBs and other machinery to clear the road and restore traffic. 

The landslide is attributed to rampant illegal earth-cutting, despite several warnings from the administration. Locals say unscientific cutting triggers landslides every monsoon, causing panic and roadblocks. 

The 14km Holongi-Itanagar route witnesses several landslides every year. 

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Today, hundreds of cars and two-wheelers are stranded. Continuous rain in Arunachal Pradesh over the past few days has triggered landslides and floods in several districts.

 The disaster management department has issued alerts to all district commissioners and residents. Holongi Road is the second major route to the state capital after NH 15, which also faces landslide issues. 

A project for slope stabilization and erosion control, awarded to Bharat Construction Pvt Ltd by NHAI in 2022, is nearing completion but faces challenges due to difficult terrain, unstable soil, and bad weather.

Speaking to the media, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Balijan of Papum Pare district Takar Rava said, "Since 7 am I am here with man and machineries to restore this blockage and traffic jam by clearing the debris and mud through JCBs.The defaulters who did earth cutting agreed to be pay penalties and help in bearing the expenditures of the restoration along with the administration. There is a new Tanio colony came into existence and the earth-cutting defaulters claim it to be a development activity done in winter to make a colony road but now the situation has changed and it's affecting the national highway. The highway department is the sole authority but are absent from the scenario and I being ADC recruited my staff and machineries to restore the traffic movement "

It is to be mentioned here that due to this debris and mud on the highway is the rampant earth cutting done by the women folk denizens in winter which is affecting in loosening of soil in monsoon now causing this disaster.