Landslide in Shimla’s Posh Locality Poses Threat to Homes

A major landslide at Ram Chandra Chowk today has endangered the safety of homes in both the Housing Board Colony at Jakhu above and the Benmore locality below.

The landslide uprooted massive deodar trees that crashed onto houses in Benmore, where several ministers and judges have their government residences and bungalows.

Just a fortnight ago, a large retaining wall collapsed in the area, further damaging the road and putting nearby houses at risk. The entire hill housing the Himachal Pradesh Housing and Urban Development Authority (HIMUDA) colony has been sinking since 2023, when the retaining wall along the road leading to the colony first gave way.

Today’s massive slide has left residents living in constant fear. Several houses in the colony have been rendered unsafe, while debris from the landslide and dangerously tilted deodar trees now threaten some homes in Benmore, along the road that separates the two settlements.

Adding to concerns, land subsidence has been reported in sections of the Old Forest Road leading to Jakhu through the colony. Residents have spotted cracks at several points.

Given the area’s significant forest cover and relatively sparse population, the frequency of landslides and ground subsidence is unusual and warrants a detailed geological study. Notably, the Municipal Corporation had earlier sought assistance from IIT Roorkee experts to stabilize the sinking Ridge. Authorities may need to approach the institute again for solutions to secure this hillside.

Shimla Mayor Surender Chauhan said, “After consulting experts, the Public Works Department will rebuild the collapsed retaining wall. The department will determine whether we need a vertical wall or a terraced structure, and whether concrete or stone will provide the most effective stabilization.”

Coincidentally, this is the second major landslide at the site in the past two years. A wall constructed by the Municipal Corporation in 2023 collapsed again during this monsoon’s heavy rains.

A team of geologists who surveyed the area found that inadequate drainage and water seepage into the soil were the main causes of the slide. Chauhan noted, “Over time, traditional drains have vanished. Restoring them is essential to ensure an effective drainage system and prevent future landslides.”