Landslide on Uttarkashi's Chungi Badethi tunnel, houses nearby under threat
With another mild landslide occurring in the area earlier in the day, houses in nearby hills are under threat.
The open tunnel was constructed as part of protective work during the Char Dham road project in the landslide-prone zone and was opened in 2021. The Gangotri highway has been widened until the Chungi Badethi area, the entrance to Uttarkashi district headquarters.
Locals are questioning the previous protective work done through rock bolt treatment in a radius of about 320m by spending crores of rupees, as landslides is frequent in the area. Shailendra Mathura, president of Uttarkashi hotel association, said there was pressure on the tunnel due to the landslide, despite the protective measures.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited had carried out repair work in and around the tunnel a couple of times over the past few years. Officials expressed confidence that the tunnel was safe.
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