Landslide hits Haridwar's Mansa Devi hill, blocks railway traffic

Haridwar, Sep 8 (IANS) A significant portion of the Mansa Devi hill near the Bhimgoda railway tunnel and Kali Mata temple in Uttarakhand's Haridwar collapsed on Monday, triggering a massive landslide that brought train services to a complete halt on the busy Dehradun-Haridwar route.

A large section of the hill suddenly gave way near the Kali temple, sending debris of soil and rocks hurtling down at high speed and completely covering the railway track close to the Bhimgoda tunnel.

The impact was so severe that the iron safety net installed to protect the tracks was also badly damaged.

The collapse led to an immediate shutdown of train movement, causing chaos in the area. Local administration officials were informed promptly, and efforts to clear the debris began without delay.

The latest incident comes less than a month after a similar landslide was reported in the same religious belt.

On August 5, a massive portion of the hill broke off, crashing onto the busy Har Ki Pauri–Bhimgoda road and railway tracks.

Dramatic CCTV footage from that incident showed rocks striking a motorcycle, narrowly missing three men who escaped with minor injuries.

Torrential rains had been cited as the reason for the hill’s destabilisation.

The Mansa Devi hill area is considered highly vulnerable to seasonal landslides, particularly during the monsoon.

Despite the installation of steel guards and protective nets in 2024 to safeguard key road and rail infrastructure, the region continues to remain exposed to extreme weather events.

Uttarakhand continues to reel under the impact of incessant rainfall, leading to major disasters that have wreaked havoc in the Himalayan states in recent days.

The risk of landslides and a sudden surge in water levels of rivers and streams remains high in the hilly regions.

The heavy rains have thrown life out of gear, disrupting both the mountains and the plains.

--IANS

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