Nainital Mall Road ripped by long, wide cracks; experts had already warned, vehicle entry stopped

Nainital's Lower Mall Road (KumaonJagran/X)

Nainital’s historic Lower Mall Road, a key lifeline for the hill town’s residents and economy, has been shut for vehicular traffic until further instructions after a 15-metre stretch developed wide cracks during heavy monsoon rains. The closure, ordered on Monday, comes after a hasty patchwork repair by the Public Works Department (PWD) collapsed within days, news agency IANS reported.

The latest trouble began when a 15-metre stretch of Lower Mall Road developed wide cracks. The Public Works Department (PWD) rushed in with a patchwork fix, mixing cement, sand, and mud, but the repairs collapsed within days. Residents questioned the delay and criticised the repairs as "superficial," saying they failed to address deeper structural risks.

Meanwhile, traffic continued to run over the unstable section despite warnings from experts about the risk of a collapse. The road was finally shut for vehicular traffic due to ongoing remedial construction.

"In front of Tallital Church, entry and exit of vehicles from Lower Mall Road to Lower Mall Road, Mallital is prohibited with immediate effect for security reasons. During the said period, orders are passed to maintain smooth one-way traffic from 06.00 pm to 08.00 pm on Upper Mall Road, in violation of the earlier order regarding vehicle ban," the official order read.

For residents, this reminds of a similar incident in 2018, when just a few steps away, a section of the same road had collapsed. At that time, geo-bags were used as a stopgap measure. Even after eight tenders and the appointment of a contractor nearly eight months ago, permanent work has never begun.

"The same patch of the road has been awaiting permanent treatment for seven years. We've written to the administration, the Governor, even the chief minister, but no action has been taken,” The Times of India quoted Digvijay Singh Bisht, president of Nainital Hotel Association, as saying.

PWD officials now say funds of Rs 3.4 crore have been sanctioned and work will begin in the next few days. "The machinery is on its way. Depressions are being filled to stabilise the surface, and measures are being taken to prevent water infiltration so the road doesn't sink suddenly. A detailed project report (DPR) for the cracked section will also be submitted,” PWD executive engineer Ratnesh Kumar Saxena said.

Other areas facing risk

Notably, the damage is not limited to Lower Mall Road. In the Almacoottage area, cracks in a roadside safety wall have left at least a dozen homes under threat. A landslide just 200 metres away has only increased the urgency.

Ward member Jeenu Pandey described it as a “life-threatening situation” and demanded urgent action. SDM Nainital Nawajish Khaliq said temporary reinforcement is underway while a survey for a permanent fix continues.

The problems extend to other key routes too. A road connecting Govt Polytechnic College (Mallital) to Gairikhet village has been in a deplorable state for decades. Just 4 km from the high court, the 6 km half-cemented stretch has never been fully motorable since Independence. For schoolchildren, elderly residents, and commuters, the road poses daily struggle.

In Fatehpur-Basani, a road that was built only a few years ago has become almost unusable every monsoon. Landslides cut off villages, leaving residents stranded. “This road is more of a disaster than a benefit. We live in fear of being completely cut off, but no permanent solution is offered,” TOI quoted Sandeep Kumar, a local resident, as saying.

Potholes and tourism woes

Perhaps the most common complaint across the district is the dangerous spread of potholes. Locals now call them “death traps.” On foggy monsoon mornings, when visibility drops to near zero, these potholes pose serious risks. The Nainital-Haldwani, Nainital-Bhowali, and Nainital-Kaladhungi roads are all riddled with them.

Shailesh Joshi, who commutes daily to Haldwani, said, “In the fog, you can’t see the road clearly. One wrong move and it can be fatal. The administration must act before tragedy strikes.”

Officials claim some responsibility issues are slowing repairs—the Nainital-Haldwani road falls under National Highway authorities, while PWD handles the Bhowali and Kaladhungi routes. Continuous rains, they said, have delayed patchwork, but repairs will begin once the weather clears.

Meanwhile, the economic fallout is already visible. Tourism, the backbone of Nainital’s economy, has been declining for months. Ramesh Joshi, president of the local taxi union, warned that the situation could spiral further. “We’ve already endured three months of falling tourist numbers. If road conditions worsen, tourism could collapse completely. The fallout may be irreversible.”