Drilling of hills on NH-5 stretch sparks concern amid suspension of highway works

Sources said that the NHAI had initially ordered a construction halt till August 31 but later extended it till September 15 in view of heavy rainfall warnings issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA). The precautionary step was aimed at preventing mishaps such as landslides and structural collapses.

Despite this blanket suspension, drilling activity was observed at certain sites between Solan and Shimla. When contacted, NHAI Regional Officer Col Ajay Singh Bargoti said that though construction activities were asked to stop, however, special permission was granted for the drilling currently underway.

He said, “Following the recommendations of the Weather Department and the State Disaster Management Authority, we suspended all kinds of construction pertaining to the National Highways till September 15. I checked on the reported drilling between Solan and Shimla along the Solan-Kaithlighat stretch and I was informed that the private contractor had obtained permission to carry out slope protection work at two particularly vulnerable locations where the risk of landslides is imminent. The contractor secured approvals from both the District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) and the SDMA.”

Sources added that the permission was granted for two to three locations as the weather is clear in the area for the last two-three days.

Solan Deputy Commissioner Manmohan Sharma said that they knew about the work of drilling on the hills for the slope protection under which iron meshes and green carpets were fixed on the vulnerable spots. “We banned the cutting of hills but exempted drilling work when orders were issued,” he said.

The explanation, however, has not go down well with experts and activists who questioned the wisdom of allowing drilling work in the middle of monsoon. They argued that such activities destabilise the already fragile hills and can aggravate the risk of disasters.

Mahesh Thakur, assistant professor of Department of Geology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, said, “Cutting, drilling of hills should not continue during the monsoon. There are certain parameters of the slope protection work, including drilling but timing of these work should always be in the mind.”

Experts note that slope protection is indeed a critical component of highway safety in hilly areas. However, they stress that the timing and method of such interventions are crucial. Undertaking heavy drilling during peak monsoon, when the ground is already unstable, can prove counterproductive. Alternative measures such as bio-engineering, retaining walls, or temporary slope covering techniques are often recommended during this period.

Activist and retired IFS officer Kuldeep Singh Tanwar said, “After the collapse of a five-storey building near Bhattakuffar in Shimla, where a private company engaged by NHAI was cutting the hillside, the authority had wisely suspended all construction work during the monsoon. If drilling is still being allowed anywhere, it should be stopped immediately. There are safer methods to stabilise slopes during rainy season. Mechanical drilling weakens the rock strata and can trigger slides in already saturated soil.”

However, NHAI officials maintained that the sites where slope protection work was completed witnessed the less landslides.

The NHAI had started the slope protection work using green mesh netting, standard drilling, and anchoring at 83 vulnerable sites along a 60-km stretch between Parwanoo (Solan) and Kathlighat (Shimla) in 2024.

Of these, 81 sites are on hill slopes, and two—Chakki Mod and Datyar—are on valley. The work, estimated at Rs 200 crore, is scheduled to be completed by March 2026.

The Kalka–Shimla highway is among the busiest mountain routes in the state, serving as the lifeline between the plains and the state capital. It has been repeatedly hit by landslides in recent years, leading to traffic blockages and endangering lives. In August alone, multiple incidents of road cave-ins and hill collapses were reported in the region, resulting in the loss of property and disruptions to connectivity.

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