Ugly Patchwork and Backbreaking Rides a real test of survival for lakhs of commuters on NH-5..
SHIMLA/NARKANDA:Even as Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Monday reviewed the quality and maintenance of 1,947 km of National Highway projects in Himachal Pradesh, angry commuters, tourists and apple growers say the ground reality on the strategically crucial National Highway-5 remains a story of neglect, dangerous driving conditions and endless patchwork repairs.
The review meeting was held in New Delhi in the presence of Union Ministers of State Ajay Tamta and Harsh Malhotra, senior officials of NHAI, MoRTH and project contractors.
The minister assessed highway maintenance based on complaints and feedback received through media and social media platforms.
During the meeting, Nitin Gadkari stressed timely execution of projects, strict quality control and the use of advanced construction technologies for durable and sustainable highways.
He also directed officials to strengthen monsoon preparedness through better drainage systems, slope protection works and preventive maintenance measures to ensure commuter safety.
However, on the ground, NH-5 from Shimla to Kinnaur continues to crumble under heavy traffic pressure and grosd neglect.
From Theog, Narkanda and Rampur to Pooh and Kaurik near the Indo-Tibet border, the highway is riddled with potholes, damaged stretches, sinking road surfaces, blind curves and heaps of debris.
Commuters say the road has become a nightmare during the peak tourist season.
Several stretches damaged during the 2024 and 2025 monsoon disasters still remain vulnerable.
Massive landslide zones continue to haunt commuters while heaps of debris dumped along the roadside have not been fully cleared even months later. In many places, narrowed carriageways and loose muck have increased the risk of accidents and traffic jams.
The highway is not only the lifeline of Himachal’s apple economy but also a strategic route leading towards the sensitive Shipki La Pass bordering China-occupied Tibet.
Army convoys regularly move on this corridor, adding to its strategic significance.
Tourists visiting Himachal say the much-publicised highway infrastructure exists only in official review meetings and presentations.
“We came here to enjoy the mountains, but the road journey became torture. Huge potholes, traffic jams and rough stretches have spoiled the trip,” said a tourist from Delhi stranded near near HassanValley, the tourist spot where traffuc mess strand mainly locals going and coming from upperShimla areas.
Another traveller described NH-5 as “a disaster zone instead of a National Highway.”
Apple growers from the Shimla and Kinnaur apple belt are equally furious. Orchardists from Kotgarh and Baghi said poor highway conditions were hurting the horticulture economy during the crucial fruit season.
“This road is the backbone of the apple belt. Yet authorities have dumped its upkeep into the dustbin of neglect. Trucks carrying apples crawl for hours,” said an orchardist from Kotgarh.
A grower from Baghi alleged that temporary patchwork repairs had become a yearly ritual.
“Every year crores are spent on patchwork. Every year the road collapses again. Commuters get back-breaking rides while officials hold review meetings in Delhi,” he said.
A fruit grower from Kinnaur said the poor condition of NH-5 exposed the gap between official claims and ground reality.
“The government talks about world-class infrastructure, but this strategic highway is falling apart before our eyes,” he said.
Locals say traffic pressure has sharply increased due to the summer tourist rush, leading to long traffic snarls on damaged stretches.
They allege that despite repeated complaints, NHAI and highway authorities continue to rely on temporary repairs instead of durable engineering solutions.
The growing anger in the hills now revolves around one question — whether Nitin Gadkari will translate review meetings and official directives into real change on the ground, or whether NH-5 will continue to remain one of India’s most neglected strategic highways.
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