Shimla district battles rain havoc as roads, bridges, and the apple crop have been hit hard by incessant downpours. Education Minister Rohit Thakur on Tuesday reviewed the widespread damage and directed officials to speed up restoration works, assuring affected families and horticulturists of all possible support from the government.
Losses amounting to Rs. 80 crore have been estimated so far. In the Rohru circle alone, 230 roads, including three major district roads and 227 village roads, were damaged. Three bridges were also affected, one of which was washed away. Out of the damaged roads, 203 have already been restored, while the remaining are targeted to be reopened by September 4 with the help of 113 JCBs, robots, dozers, and tippers.
Thakur said that NH-705 has been restored for traffic, while work on NH-707 is underway on a war footing and is expected to reopen by September 4.
The HPMC informed the minister that 31 out of 37 collection centres in Gumma and 25 out of 28 in Jubbal were impacted, leaving nearly 80,000 apple boxes stranded. Damaged roads and recurring landslides have severely hampered transportation, with several boxes buried under debris. Expressing concern over the plight of apple growers, Thakur assured that every effort was being made to ensure the smooth movement of produce.
He instructed officials to make judicious use of the Rs. 178 crore Post Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) funds and to submit additional estimates for more financial assistance if required. Strict orders were issued for quick tendering and time-bound completion of restoration projects.
Appealing for public patience, Thakur said the government was working in mission mode to restore normalcy. He added that he was personally monitoring the situation and would soon visit the affected areas, reiterating that the state stood firmly with the affected families and would extend all necessary help.
