The Joshimath-Malari border road is blocked by boulders and debris near Raini. Road widening work was being carried out when large boulders falling from the mountain above blocked and even destroyed 25 metres of this road which is causing inconvenience to residents of border area villages and the army.
The Joshimath-Malari border road is closed to traffic near Raini at a distance of about 25 kilometres from Joshimath town. Work on widening the road was being carried out when large boulders reportedly tumbled down blocking this important road apart from completely damaging a portion of the road about 25 metres in length.
It is pertinent to mention here that there are instances of this road being blocked to traffic as a result of boulders and other debris in the past but this time due to a portion of the road being destroyed, the authorities are estimating that it may take at least three days to open this road to traffic.
The residents of villages in this border region complain that the procurement of ration has become problematic due this road being blocked. There have been instances of this road getting blocked repeatedly during a month.
According to information provided by colonel R Subramaniam of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) the heavy boulders from uphill landed on the road late on Thursday night also destroying a 25 metre stretch of the road. It might take about three days for this road to be cleared for resumption of traffic, he added.
local sources state that the road widening work on the Joshimath-Malari road has become a pain in the neck for the residents of border area villages due to instances of the road being blocked by debris.