A highway patrol team of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) came to the rescue of a seven-month-old baby who was struggling to breathe amid heavy rain and landslides in Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district.
The Chamba-Bharmour section of NH-154A was blocked after continuous rainfall triggered landslides and rockfall near Durgethi on Thursday afternoon. The infant, who was on oxygen and required ventilator support, was being taken by ambulance to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Government Medical College in Chamba.
As the road remained blocked, the baby's condition began to worsen. The family was stuck between areas affected by active landslides and was unable to move forward.
The NHAI patrolling team was alerted about the emergency and immediately reached the spot, despite the danger from falling rocks and fresh landslides. One of the team members carefully carried the infant to a patrol vehicle that had been kept ready on the other side of the road blockage.
The team then moved the baby and family through the dangerous stretch, driving carefully through areas affected by falling stones and unstable slopes.
The infant was taken to Batti-di-Hatti in the patrol vehicle. However, another landslide had blocked the road ahead. The NHAI team quickly transferred the baby to another patrol vehicle, allowing the family to continue their journey to the hospital.
After helping the infant reach safety, the patrol team returned to the affected stretch and continued working to remove debris and restore traffic movement.
Officials praised the team for acting quickly and putting their own safety at risk to help save a life. NHAI site in-charge Sahil Thakur said the team's responsibility was not limited to keeping the highway open but also included helping people during emergencies.
Thakur said the team had earlier helped an elderly patient reach a hospital despite the road blockade. He added that the team remained committed to helping the public even in difficult weather conditions.
The Bharmour administration has advised residents and tourists to avoid unnecessary travel during the period of heavy rainfall.
Additional District Magistrate Vikas Sharma asked people to stay away from areas vulnerable to landslides. He also urged them to travel only when necessary and follow all safety instructions issued by the administration.
Also read: Flood alert in Kashmir; Flash floods lash Udhampur
Follow us
