KULLU: A road blockade following leakage from the ADIT-V tunnel of the Parbati Hydroelectric Project Stage-II has left a large number of tourists stranded in Bhatkanda in Himachal Pradesh’s Sainj valley for several days.
The Siund-Bhatkanda road was closed on September 19 following the tunnel leakage. Restoration work has remained stalled amid opposition from villagers affected by the incident.
The tourists, who came from Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Assam and Tamil Nadu, had arrived in the valley on September 18 to celebrate a child’s birthday and enjoy the scenic surroundings. Their plans, however, turned into an ordeal after the road closure.
Villagers affected by the leakage, along with representatives of the local panchayat, have opposed reopening the road until a proper assessment of the damage is completed and a written agreement on compensation is reached.
The deadlock has prevented authorities from clearing the debris and restoring road connectivity, leaving tourists uncertain about their return journey.
Bhanu Pratap, a tourist from Jaipur, said their travel budget had been exhausted, their vehicles were stranded and their children’s education was being affected. With no immediate solution, several tourists are considering leaving their vehicles behind and returning home by taxi.
The blockade has also affected the local tourism sector. Homestay operators, including Likhit Ram and Balamkund, said they had received numerous booking cancellations and suffered losses running into lakhs of rupees.
Farmers are facing another setback as the Siund-Raila road continues to remain closed. The closure has put the transportation of apples, fruits and vegetables at risk.
The administration is attempting to broker a settlement between affected residents and the project management. Banjar SDM Pankaj Sharma said a committee meeting had been scheduled to review the situation and take a decision on compensation and restoration.
The project management said repair work at the valve house was critical to prevent further danger and that operations would resume only after safety was ensured.
In its official response, NHPC said community safety remained its priority and that it would comply with the recommendations of an independent committee on compensation.
NHPC also appealed to the local community to cooperate in reopening the Siund-Raila road. It said the prolonged blockade was causing serious hardship to schoolchildren, patients and residents, while also restricting emergency services.
