Rain Triggers Safety Concerns at Kangra Airport as Boundary Wall Collapses
Continuous rainfall in Kangra district has raised safety concerns at the state’s largest airport in Gaggal (Kangra), after a section of the boundary wall along the runway was damaged. At least four pillars of the wall collapsed following a landslide triggered by the downpour.
Officials of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) have warned that if the landslides persist, more pillars could collapse, posing a serious threat to the airport’s security.
The affected portion is located near the Kathuman–Banoi stretch of the Mandi–Pathankot National Highway, where recurring landslides have already disrupted vehicular movement. Debris sliding down the unstable hillside has not only repeatedly blocked the road but also endangered areas surrounding the airport.
Airport Director Dhirendra Singh told The Tribune that seepage within the hillside, combined with persistent rainfall, has caused repeated landslides. While the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is working to keep the highway open, Singh noted that no steps have been taken to stabilize the slope on the airport side.
He added that the district administration has been informed of the risks and that the issue was also raised during last month’s Airport Advisory Committee meeting in Dharamshala.
Shahpur MLA Kewal Singh Pathania, who inspected the site on Friday, urged both the administration and airport authorities to act immediately to prevent further damage. Warning of severe consequences if action is delayed, he emphasized that the problem cannot be permanently resolved until the issue of water seepage from the hillside is addressed. Pathania said he had raised the matter in the Assembly earlier this week and demanded concrete measures to ensure the airport’s long-term safety.
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