Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Himachal Pradesh on September 9 to take stock of the devastation caused by this year’s monsoon disaster. If weather conditions remain clear, the Prime Minister will conduct an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Kangra parliamentary constituency on Tuesday morning before holding a review meeting in Dharamshala. He is scheduled to return to Delhi by 3:30 pm, according to the tentative program received by the state government from the Prime Minister’s Office.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu confirmed the proposed visit, stating that a detailed report on the destruction caused by floods, cloudbursts, and landslides will be presented to the Prime Minister. He added that the state government would also request the timely release of central relief funds to speed up rehabilitation and reconstruction work.
This year’s monsoon has been particularly devastating for Himachal Pradesh. According to the State Disaster Management Authority, over 550 lives have been lost since June, and thousands of houses have either collapsed or suffered partial damage. Infrastructure has been severely hit, with more than 400 roads blocked at different times and around 3,000 water supply schemes disrupted. Preliminary estimates suggest that the state has suffered losses of over ₹10,000 crore, making it one of the worst natural disasters in recent years.
Kangra, Mandi, Shimla, and Kullu districts have been among the worst-hit, where heavy rainfall triggered landslides and flash floods, sweeping away bridges, roads, and agricultural land. Tourism and horticulture—two key sectors of Himachal’s economy—have also been badly affected, with orchards destroyed and tourist inflows dropping sharply during the peak season.
With the scale of destruction unprecedented, all eyes are now on the Prime Minister’s visit. The state government hopes that Modi’s review will accelerate the flow of central aid and help Himachal recover from the monsoon’s fury.
