50-km traffic jam: Apples worth Rs 50 crore rot in trucks on Chandigarh-Kullu highway

Chandigarh-Kullu highway jan

Heavy rainfall and continuous landslides have brought life to a standstill on the Chandigarh-Kullu highway, creating a traffic jam stretching nearly 50 kilometres. Thousands of vehicles, including hundreds of trucks loaded with fruits and vegetables for Delhi-NCR markets are stranded, NDTV reported.

According to the officials, the Chandigarh-Manali highway has been blocked at several points because of landslides. While cars and smaller vehicles are slowly being allowed to move, heavy trucks continue to be stuck. This has not only left passengers waiting for hours but also disrupted the movement of essential goods.

Truck drivers are worried as their consignments of apples, tomatoes, and other vegetables, worth crores of rupees, are rotting inside the vehicles. Each truck carries goods valued between Rs 4 lakh and Rs 4.5 lakh. Just the apple stock stuck on this route is estimated to be worth over Rs 50 crore.

Gaffar, a truck driver, said his load of apples was supposed to reach Sahibabad fruit market but has been stuck in Kullu for five days. Thousands of trucks headed for Azadpur and Sahibabad mandis are trapped, he said.

Officials explained that the Beas River’s strong current has damaged several portions of the highway, which is slowing down repair work. Ashok Chauhan, an engineer from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), confirmed the extent of the damage and said clearance work is ongoing. Locals in Kullu also said that houses near Ramshila have been damaged, warning that if authorities do not act quickly, future monsoons could cause even worse destruction, as per the NDTV report.

Manali Sub-Divisional Magistrate Raman Sharma added that Manali’s road connectivity from one side has completely been cut off. Since Monday, four shops, two restaurants, and one house have been destroyed due to the heavy rains. On Wednesday, a house in Manjhed village collapsed under the downpour in Himachal’s Bilaspur district.

Across Himachal Pradesh, heavy rains since Tuesday evening have blocked hundreds of roads and disrupted power and water supply. Mandi and Kullu are among the worst-hit regions. Since June 20, rain-related incidents in the state have already claimed 158 lives, left 38 people missing, and caused damages worth over Rs 2,623 crore.