A massive landslide struck the Manikaran–Barshaini link road in Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh, severing connectivity and trapping vehicles on Tuesday, even in clear weather, prompting emergency clearance operations while authorities warn of ongoing geological risk to residents and tourists.
A major landslide late on 24 February 2026 brought down tonnes of earth, rock and debris onto the narrow Manikaran–Barshaini road, a key link in the Parvati Valley of Kullu district, leaving the thoroughfare completely blocked and vehicles stranded for hours.
Local administration officials confirmed that the slide occurred despite clear weather conditions, an unusual occurrence that has unsettled local residents and travellers alike. According to the Public Works Department’s assistant engineer Govind Thakur, heavy rainfall and melting snow in recent days had weakened the hillside, making it susceptible to collapse even in the absence of rain on the day of the slide.
Witnesses described the terrifying moment when the hillside gave way without warning, sending boulders and mud cascading across the narrow two-lane route. “Vehicles that were just passing through had to stop abruptly,” one motorist told reporters. Fortunately, there were no reports of serious injuries, though several cars were briefly trapped amidst the debris.
Traffic on both sides of the slide came to a standstill, forcing tourists heading towards Barshaini a base point for treks and pilgrimage routes to turn back. Local tourism operators said groups of visitors had to reroute or postpone travel plans, heightening economic stress in an area already dealing with seasonal downturns.
“Urgent Relief Efforts, Machinery Mobilised”
Within hours of the incident, district disaster management teams, local police, and Public Works Department crews were on the scene, deploying earth-moving machinery to remove slush and rock. Officials said they were working around the clock to restore connectivity, though progress was slow due to the volume of debris and the unstable slope above the road.
“We are making every effort to clear the road at the earliest,” a senior district official told reporters, noting that safety protocols required careful removal of loose material to prevent further falls. Additional engineering survey teams have been dispatched to assess slope stability and risk of secondary slides.
Local authorities have also advised travellers to avoid the area unless absolutely necessary, particularly given that this stretch is known for repeated rockfalls and land movement. Ghatigarh the exact locality where the slide occurred has seen similar incidents in recent months, suggesting that soil saturation and erosion are recurring problems.
Despite the disruption, essential services have not been completely cut off. Police began organising phased movement for emergency vehicles where possible, and liaison officers are coordinating with tourism associations and transport unions to manage stranded passengers.
“Geological Risks, Past Incidents and Structural Vulnerability”
Himachal Pradesh’s rugged terrain, especially in the Parvati and Kullu valleys, makes it especially prone to landslides, particularly during the late winter and early spring transition when snowmelt and intermittent rainfall destabilise slopes. Experts say that weakened ground conditions coupled with deforestation and unplanned infrastructure construction exacerbate the risk.
The Manikaran–Barshaini route is not a major national highway but is crucial for local communities, connecting remote settlements, tourist destinations such as Kasol and Manikaran, and pilgrimage trails. Frequent slide warnings have led to intermittent closures in past seasons, but local authorities acknowledge that long-term engineering solutions have lagged behind recurring events.
In August 2025, a cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides across Kullu district, leading to property damage and road closures, further underscoring the region’s vulnerability to rapid slope failures and extreme weather patterns.
A more tragic reminder of the area’s instability occurred in March 2025, when a separate landslide near Manikaran Sahib Gurudwara – triggered by uprooted trees and debris – resulted in multiple fatalities and injuries, prompting an official review of slope safety and disaster preparedness measures in the valley.
Geologists argue that climate change-induced variations in precipitation, along with inadequate drainage and vegetation loss, have increased the frequency of such events in the Himalayan foothills. “What used to be rare is now almost annual,” said one environmental expert, urging pre-emptive slope reinforcement and community-based early warning systems.
“Human Costs and Economic Ripple Effects”
Beyond the immediate disruption to connectivity, the landslide is expected to have tangible social and economic impact on valley residents. Tourism a lifeline for many families in villages like Kasol, Tosh and Barshaini has already been hit by prolonged travel advisories and cancellations following the slide. Local hotel and transport service providers expressed concern that repeated closures could discourage visitors this spring.
Supply chains for goods such as food, fuel and construction materials have also faced delays, with truckers needing to find alternate, longer routes to reach interior settlements. Farmers in the valley say they are worried that continued closures could affect the timely delivery of agricultural inputs ahead of planting season.
Residents in fringe hamlets near the slide zone have been told to remain vigilant and avoid hillside cultivation until geotechnical assessments are complete. Community volunteers have also pitched in to help with debris clearance and support for travellers left stranded overnight.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The sudden closure of a key mountain road highlights the fragile interplay between human mobility, livelihood and the Himalayan environment. While immediate response efforts are vital to reconnect communities and ensure safety, long-term resilience must be prioritised through science-based land management, sustainable tourism planning, and strengthened disaster preparedness.
This is not solely about economic inertia it’s about respecting the natural dynamics of mountainous ecosystems and protecting the people who depend on them.
We urge policymakers at state and local levels to engage mountain communities as partners not merely as recipients of aid in implementing early warning systems, slope stabilisation and environmentally grounded development.
Collective empathy, thoughtful planning and robust engineering can make the difference between recurring chaos and sustained stability.
