Highway collapse at Dehra sparks outrage, locals blame administrative ‘negligence’

About 25 metres of National Highway-503 collapsed allegedly due to excavation work carried out for the construction of a private building between Khabli Dosarka and the upcoming Central University of Himachal campus in Dehra. The digging, which had been ongoing for nearly two months on private land adjacent to the highway using JCB machines, ultimately led to the landslide.

As a result, not only did a section of the highway cave in, but an electricity pole installed along the roadside also fell. The water supply pipe laid for nearby villages is now left suspended mid-air due to the erosion.

The issue had been actively highlighted on social media for quite some time, and now what many feared has come to pass. The collapse of the electric pole disrupted power supply to around 40-50 houses in the surrounding villages, including Ladana and Khabli Dosarka, leaving residents in complete darkness throughout Thursday night.

The post of Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) in the Dehra subdivision of the National Highway department had remained vacant for nearly a year. Maya Das, the newly appointed SDO, informed The Tribune that a notice was immediately issued to the concerned party once the incident was brought to his attention. He added that the private party responsible for the excavation has agreed to compensate for the damage.

Residents, however, are critical of the authorities, accusing them of negligence. “Despite the matter being prominently raised on social media, the department failed to act in time,” said one local. “The digging continued for days right next to the highway, but the administration remained in deep slumber. Timely action could have easily averted this disaster.”

Now that the damage has been done, locals say that immediate repairs are the only option. Social workers and community members are demanding that accountability be fixed, and those responsible for the public loss be held answerable.

Himachal Tribune