Heavy rainfall triggers landslides, blocks Badrinath highway

11 Sep 2023 CW Team

Continuous heavy rainfall led to landslides in multiple areas of Chamoli district, disrupting the Badrinath highway (National highway-54) for over 12 hours on Sunday. The affected regions included Chinka, Kameda, and Pagal Nala, where recurring landslides and falling rocks posed significant challenges.

Hundreds of pilgrims en route to the revered Badrinath shrine found themselves stranded along the highway due to these adverse weather conditions. Chamoli police issued a travel advisory, urging pilgrims to plan their journeys while considering the weather forecast.

After dedicated efforts, the highway at Kameda was reopened for small vehicles around 2 pm on Sunday, offering some relief to the stranded travellers. The Pagal Nala stretch was also cleared and reopened around 5 pm. However, later in the evening, another obstruction occurred at Langasu, reported by Chamoli police.

Nand Kishore Joshi, the district disaster management officer in Chamoli, reassured that traffic has been restored, with vehicles allowed to move through Kameda and Pagal Nala under controlled conditions.

The regional meteorological centre reported varying levels of rainfall in the region, with Chamoli city receiving 40mm, Karnaprayag 50mm, Gauchar 50mm, and Pokhari experiencing 70mm of rainfall. The adverse weather conditions and resulting landslides highlight the challenges of travel in this region, particularly during the monsoon season.

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Second Mountain Tunnel Breakthrough in Palghar Advances High Speed Rail

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail (MAHSR) project reached a milestone with the breakthrough of a mountain tunnel in Palghar, Maharashtra. Mountain tunnel MT-six measures 454 metres long and 14.4 metres wide and will accommodate up and down tracks. The breakthrough follows MT-five near Saphale on second January 2026 and the MT-six excavation was completed from both ends using the New Austrian Tunnelling Method. The ministry reported that the tunnelling was completed within 12 months. The New Austrian Tunnelling Method is favoured for its flexibility in complex geology and irregular tunnel s..

Modi Government Pushes Atmanirbhar Container Drive With BCSL MoU

The Union Government advanced a plan to create an integrated, domestically anchored container ecosystem with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish the Bharat Container Shipping Line (BCSL). The MoU was signed by key agencies including the Shipping Corporation of India and Container Corporation of India alongside major port authorities and Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, in the presence of senior ministers. The initiative aligns with the Container Manufacturing Assistance Scheme announced in the Union Budget 2026–2..

Ministry Reports Gains In Mobility For Marginalised Communities

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is implementing skill development, education and rehabilitation schemes to promote socio-economic mobility and sustainable livelihoods for marginalised and disadvantaged communities across the country. Programmes target Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, Economically Weaker Sections, De-notified Tribes and Safai Karamcharis through specialised implementing corporations and empanelled training institutes. Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalta Sampann Hitgrahi Yojana, or PM-DAKSH, provided skill training and placement support through the Nati..