Northeast Desk, 22nd July: On July 22, a landslide disrupted traffic on National Highway 415 between Holongi and Itanagar, leaving several vehicles stranded in mud and debris. The landslide, triggered by heavy rains early in the morning, has blocked a crucial route linking Itanagar to Donyi Polo Airport and Assam.
The Papum Pare district administration and highway department have deployed two JCBs and additional machinery to clear the debris and restore traffic. The landslide is attributed to rampant illegal earth-cutting despite repeated warnings from the administration. Locals report that unscientific cutting practices trigger landslides every monsoon, leading to panic and roadblocks. The 14km Holongi-Itanagar route is particularly prone to landslides, experiencing multiple incidents each year.
Today, hundreds of cars and two-wheelers are stranded due to the landslide. Continuous rain in Arunachal Pradesh over the past few days has caused landslides and floods in several districts. The disaster management department has issued alerts to all district commissioners and residents.
Holongi Road is the second major route to the state capital after NH 15, which also faces frequent landslide issues. A project for slope stabilization and erosion control, awarded to Bharat Construction Pvt Ltd by NHAI in 2022, is nearing completion but faces challenges due to difficult terrain, unstable soil, and bad weather.
Speaking to the media, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Balijan, Papum Pare district, Takar Rava, said, “Since 7 am, I have been here with men and machinery to clear the blockage and traffic jam caused by the debris and mud using JCBs. The defaulters responsible for the earth-cutting have agreed to pay penalties and assist in the restoration efforts along with the administration. There is a new Tanio colony that came into existence, and the earth-cutting defaulters claim it was a development activity done in winter to create a colony road. However, the situation has changed, and it is now affecting the national highway. The highway department is the sole authority but is absent from the scenario, so I, being the ADC, recruited my staff and machinery to restore traffic movement.”
It should be noted that the debris and mud on the highway are a result of rampant earth-cutting by the local women in winter, which has loosened the soil, leading to this disaster during the monsoon.
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