To make travel safer along the landslide-prone Parwanoo–Waknaghat stretch of National Highway-5, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has stepped up slope-protection efforts. Using wire-netting, shotcrete and other advanced engineering techniques, they’ve significantly cut down landslide incidents this rainy season, bringing some much-needed relief to commuters on this busy four-lane highway.
For many years, the Parwanoo–Solan (39 km) and Chambaghat–Kairighat (22 km) sections have struggled due to frequent landslides during monsoon, especially after the hills were cut to widen the highway.
Things reached a saturation point two years back (2023), when record-breaking rain and cloudbursts recorded 250 mm from July 1 to July 11 led to massive landslides and flash floods in the hill state. Several key highway stretches had to be shut down, which included Chakki Mor near Parwanoo where a 70-metre hill collapsed.
Overall, 26 vulnerable spots, including Chakki Mor, Datiyar, Barog bypass tunnel, and Sanawara, suffered severe damage and saw frequent vehicular traffic. Even recently, a heavy rain again caused temporary closures of a few stretches of the highway, showing that the dangers still remain.
To help prevent such problems in the future, the NHAI roped in SRM Contractors Limited, a Jammu-based company, in 2023 to carry out slope protection work.
Since then, netting and shotcrete have been reinforced at several locations, including Saproon and Rabon near Shamlech. Work is still underway in challenging areas like Dharampur and Waknaghat.
According to the NHAI’s Project Director in Shimla, Anand Dahiya, engineering designs are being customised depending on the site’s unique geology. One of the worst-hit zones, Chakki Mor, will see fresh construction soon after design approval by Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam, which has been appointed as a technical expert.
Though the highway was widened to four lanes in April 2021, slope protection didn’t receive serious attention at the time.
Initially, only basic steps were taken, leaving vertical slopes exposed and at risk—especially from rainwater during the monsoons. Now, with stronger and more carefully planned safety measures in place, there’s finally some hope for safer roads and more secure travel in the future.
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