A portion of a road sank in Shimla on Saturday, reportedly due to nearby tunnel construction work. The authorities have stopped the construction until further orders, officials said.
Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap has directed the Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order) and the Additional Superintendent of Police to prepare and submit a report on the tunnel work being carried out on the Kaithlighat-Dhalli four-lane project.
The action was taken after a stretch of the road at Bhattakufar caved in, causing the tyre of a school bus to get stuck in the pit. A Class 8 schoolgirl also fell into the pit but was quickly rescued by nearby residents.
The deputy commissioner and senior police officers visited the site to assess the situation. He said such an incident has happened for the first time in the area.
“The place where the land subsidence occurred is very close to the tunnel site. This is a serious safety concern,” Kashyap said.
He added that the district administration has written to the State Disaster Management Authority, expressing concern that the situation could lead to a larger disaster if not addressed.
Kashyap said locals also informed him that cracks had started appearing in their houses recently. The district administration inspected the houses and confirmed the presence of cracks.
He said the Survey of India will also be informed about the incident. “A detailed report will be sent to them as well,” he said.
Kashyap also mentioned that the administration had earlier received multiple complaints from local residents regarding the four-lane construction work. “All these complaints will now be shared with the SDMA,” he said.
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