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Chamba, Bharmour Remain Cut Off; Over 3,000 Pilgrims and Tourists Rescued
Shimla, Updated At : 09:26 AM Aug 29, 2025 IST
For the fourth consecutive day, Chamba district headquarters and the holy town of Bharmour remained cut off by road after flash floods and massive landslides caused widespread destruction.
Both key routes via Pathankot and Dharamshala are blocked, while the Sach Pass had already been closed earlier. The remote Pangi Valley has also lost road access to the rest of the country. The annual Mani Mahesh Yatra has been severely disrupted after a cloudburst over the Mani Mahesh stream triggered flash floods earlier this week, washing away stretches of roads and bridges along the pilgrimage route. Thousands of devotees were stranded after several sections of the Chamba–Bharmour National Highway collapsed.
District officials said that by Thursday, more than 3,000 pilgrims and tourists—including 280 children—had been rescued. “The situation is grave, as entire portions of the highway have disappeared into the Ravi River. In some places, there is no trace of the road at all,” a senior officer said. Communication lines have also been down in Chamba and Bharmour for four days. Airtel mobile services have been partially restored in Chamba, but internet connectivity remains suspended.
Pilgrims who managed to trek on foot to Banikhet recounted their harrowing experience of walking nearly 80 kilometers through landslide-hit terrain.
A group of pilgrims from Gurdaspur alleged that neither the administration nor the government extended any help, claiming that they survived solely due to the efforts of local residents. “Not a single JCB was seen clearing the devastated roads,” they said.
Authorities have reopened a few stretches of the Chamba route for one-way traffic, but admitted that the situation remains fragile. Reports suggest that the pilgrimage route beyond Bharmour has been extensively damaged, raising fresh concerns over the safety of those still stranded. Elderly pilgrims suffering from health complications were airlifted to safety.
