Heavy landslide crushes Badrinath Highway and strands hundreds of Char Dham pilgrims
Building subsurface drainage wells and constructing stepped gradients are expected to manage hydrostatic pressure and stabilize the slopes.
Landslides caused by heavy rains crushed the Badrinath Highway, leaving hundreds of pilgrims stranded while visiting the Char Dham sites. In response, authorities have resorted primarily to reactionary machinery clearing operations and progress on the 6 km-long Helang-Marwari bypass infrastructure. But similar events were recorded in May 2023, July 2024, and October 2024 as well.
Geotechnical specialists point to an immediate need for adoption of well-established international protocols employed successfully in Japanese infrastructure projects, such as pre-stressing rocks using anchors of 20-meter lengths. Building subsurface drainage wells and constructing stepped gradients are expected to manage hydrostatic pressure and stabilize the slopes.
