Shimla, November 27, 2025
Learning hard lessons from the past, the Shimla district administration on Thursday cracked the whip on the ongoing construction of the twin-tube tunnel at Bhattakufer on the Meheli–Dhalli road, ordering an immediate shutdown of all excavation, blasting and tunnelling activities.
DC Shimla Anupam Kashyap issued strict directions to the Project Director of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), instructing that every construction-related activity under NH-05 (Shimla Bypass Package-II) be halted with immediate effect until further orders.
The move follows a major landslip that triggered panic across the area.
A primary geotechnical inspection by the Geological Wing has revealed a disturbing picture:
– A large ground depression forming on Meheli–Dhalli road
– Cracks in rocky strata and continuous seepage
– Exposed utilities
– Structural cracks in several houses around the site
Most alarming, the report states that the axis of the under-construction twin tunnel runs directly beneath the affected zone, making the impact of ongoing excavation “impossible to rule out.”
With memories still fresh of previous tragedies linked to unscientific hill cutting and tunnel works in the region, the administration did not take chances this time.
Calling for a detailed geotechnical and geophysical investigation by a specialised agency such as the Geological Survey of India (GSI), the district administration said public safety cannot be compromised under any circumstance.
Until the technical investigation is completed and a clear picture emerges, the DC has:
– Suspended all tunnelling, drilling, excavation and blasting
– Revoked the blasting permission of M/s Gawar Shimla Highway Pvt. Ltd.
– Ordered round-the-clock monitoring of cracks, seepage and slope movement
– Directed immediate barricading and safety measures in the danger zone
– Asked PWD and GSI teams to maintain full coordination on ground
DC Anupam Kashyap warned that any violation of the halt order will invite strict legal action.
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