Uttarakhand's Niti valley connecting India-China border reopens for vehicular movement

The Niti border road that connects the Indio-China border in Joshimath in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand has reopened for vehicular movement after 17 days on Sunday. According to the statement by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the road was blocked due to multiple landslides that hit the area over the last month. The organisation further said that the pedestrian movement was also stopped due to the roadblock and there are chances that around a dozen people might still be stuck inside their houses. BRO said earlier, “We are taking the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to make an alternative way for people. The rescue operation is underway.”

Earlier on Thursday, the BRO had announced that the Niti Border road will remain blocked for a week. They said in a statement, “We are facing difficulty in opening the road because of the recurring landslides. The pedestrian movement has also been blocked. We are taking the help of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) to make an alternative way for people. The rescue operation is underway.”

Almost two weeks ago, a landslide hit the area close to Joshimath-Badrinath National Highway near the Thaing village in Chamoli district. Reports say that huge rocks and boulders came down from the mountains after the excessive rainfall. This had further blocked at least three other highways along with another 100 roads across various regions in Uttarakhand. Due to the dangerous situation of the Chamoli landslide, the authorities had taken the decision to delay the reopening of the road but they still ended up opening the road a few days in advance.

A series of landslides in the region

In the past two months, several regions across North India like Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh have experienced landslides this month. Earlier this month on August 11, a massive avalanche struck the Kinnaur area of Himachal Pradesh. A Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) bus with 30 seats and four cars was among the vehicles that were hit by the disaster. The rescue operations are still underway in the region. The death toll from the Kinnaur Nigul sari landslide has risen to 25 and as per reports, more than five persons are still missing.

(With ANI inputs)