Joshimath Sinking: Cracks develop in strategically IMP India-China border road

In a protest over the Joshimath land subsidence, locals blocked the Badrinath Highway on Thursday morning to protest and get the Uttarakhand government and administration to take the matter seriously.

Joshimath: The crucial Joshimath-Malari border road in Chamoli district which connects the China border has developed cracks at several places due to landslides in Joshimath. Strategically important Joshimath-Malari border road is subsiding near the Malari taxi stand. Earlier today, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inspected the town and conducted physical inspections of the land subsidence-affected areas and met the affected families. "Our effort is to make everyone safe and evacuate people to safer areas. The preparations are made for necessary arrangements. Scientists from various institutes are working towards finding the cause of the landslides," Dhami told ANI. All construction activities in and around Joshimath in Uttarakhand Chamoli District have been halted in the wake of cracks that have appeared in buildings, District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana said on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, the District Magistrate said that all construction work has been halted in view of the situation in Joshimath. Locals of Joshimath blocked the Badrinath Highway on Thursday morning to protest and get the government and administration to take the matter of land subsidence seriously. 

Notably, Joshimath Municipal Chairman Shailendra Pawar said huge cracks appeared in the houses due to water leakage from inside the ground in the Marwadi ward. The teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure, Chamoli Chief Development Officer (CDO) Lalit Narayan Mishra said on Friday. 

Chamoli District Magistrate Himanshu Khurana on Saturday said that there is no subsidence in the entire area of Joshimath but there is a part of the city where there are cracks which is not big. Speaking to ANI, Khurana said, "There is no subsidence in the entire area of Joshimath, there is a part of the city where there are cracks but it is not big. There is a special place where cracks have increased."  

आज जोशीमठ में भू-धसाव का स्थलीय निरीक्षण करने के उपरांत सचिवालय पहुंचकर आपदा प्रबंधन केन्द्र में अधिकारियों के साथ बैठक की। इस समय सुरक्षा के दृष्टिगत तात्कालिक रूप से जो कार्य आवश्यक हैं उनके अतिशीघ्र क्रियान्वयन को सुनिश्चित करने हेतु अधिकारियों के साथ निरंतर संपर्क में हूं। pic.twitter.com/ZimULTnYMD — Pushkar Singh Dhami (@pushkardhami) January 7, 2023

He further said that the reasons are being ascertained by the scientists. The District Magistrate said that there is no earthquake in the entire Joshimath, that is why we are able to resettle the people in Joshimath itself. "The work of shifting the affected people to safer places is being done at a fast pace. At present people will be shifted by acquiring safe hotels inside Joshimath."

He said that land is being searched for a big shelter home. "In Joshimath itself, the land of the Horticulture Department has also been searched for the construction of the shelter," he added. Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government sanctioned funds from the Chief Minister`s Relief Fund for providing houses at cheaper rates to the displaced families due to the landslide in Joshimath. As per the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, houses will be provided at the rate of Rs 4000 per month for six months.

The affected families, whose houses are not fit for habitation due to damage to their houses or those families who have become homeless are being given shelter in rented houses at safe places, under the Joshimath municipality tehsil of Chamoli district. Earlier today, CM Dhami said that the scientists were looking into the cause of the land subsidence in the state`s Joshimath and the first priority remains to ensure that people are taken to safer areas. 

CM Dhami also conducted a survey of the areas in the town where houses and other establishments, roads and fields have displayed cracks due to land subsidence. He also met with displaced families who were relocated after cracks were seen in their houses.Incidentally, huge cracks have been seen in houses, roads and fields and many houses have suffered subsidence. 

Cracks have been found at several places on the Joshimath-Malari border road, which connects the India-China border, due to landslides in Joshimath. A large part of the Badrinath National Highway is also in the grip of landslides.

According to the Chamoli district administration statement on Friday, out of 561 establishments, 153 in the Ravigram ward, 127 in the Gandhinagar ward, 28 in the Marwadi ward, 24 in the Lower Bazaar ward, 52 in the Singhdhar ward, 71 in the Manohar Bagh ward, 29 in the Upper Bazaar ward 27 in the Sunil ward and 50 in Parsari have reported cracks, due to which the operations of Hotel View and Malari Inn were restricted under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, till further orders.

The teams from National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have also been deployed in the area as a precautionary measure, Chamoli Chief Development Officer (CDO) Lalit Narayan Mishra said on Friday.