Landslide forces shutdown of Shimla’s Clarkes Hotel

British era heritage hotel in Shimla,Oberoi Clarkes’,was shut down on Monday as a landslide nearby — resulting from the construction of lawyers’ chambers — posed a threat to century-old building overlooking the old Shimla town and the Ridge.

The company took the decision late Sunday evening after its consultants reported that there was a threat to the entire hotel complex as a result of a sudden landslide that took place two months ago. In fact,there have been three major landslides at the site after the public works department and a private constructor deployed heavy machinery to restore the road leading to the Himachal Pradesh High Court — located behind the hotel.

“Use of heavy machinery to rebuild the road and the hotel retaining wall,coupled with heavy rains,was posing a threat to the hotel. We have decided not to put our staff and guests at risk,” said a Oberoi official.