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

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.”