Uttarakhand residents question monsoon preparedness, claim recurring issues remain unaddressed

Time of India

13-06-2025

Dehradun: With the India Meteorological Department forecasting above-normal rainfall this monsoon, fears of landslides and flooding have escalated, particularly in the hill districts.
Residents have raised concerns about choked drains, damaged roads and bridges, and a lack of pre-emptive measures, issues that remain unresolved despite recurring monsoon havoc.
In Bageshwar, where landslides and waterlogging have become routine, locals say the administration has failed to act despite crores in losses each year. Key roads and bridges damaged in last year's rains remain in disrepair, and drainage systems in many areas are still inadequate.
The situation is worsened by the formation of a temporary lake in the Shambhu River in Kapkot. Former district panchayat president Harish Aithani questioned the administration's readiness: "Even a short spell of rain covers roads with muck and sends boulders tumbling.
This is their preparation? Even the drains haven't been cleaned."
Citing a recent incident when a local on a scooter got injured after slipping on a mud-covered road, he added that "around five people" fall every day on the roads and despite complaints to the district magistrate, nothing has changed.
District disaster management officer Shikha Suyal said 61 landslide-prone spots have been identified across 30 roads, and excavators will be stationed at these sites for emergency clearance. Last year alone, monsoon-related damages cost the district Rs 42 crore. District magistrate Ashish Bhatgain said an NDRF team is now stationed in Kapkot, with forest, police, and revenue teams on alert.
In Dehradun, residents are frustrated that civic work continues right up to the start of monsoon, worsening waterlogging and traffic.
Social activist Anoop Nautiyal pointed out that civic bodies continue to dig up roads instead of preparing for the rains. "We should have a system in place directing civic bodies to halt new work before the rains and start preparing. But they keep digging and then blame traffic jams, waterlogging, and bad roads on the rain," he said.
Advocate Shiva Verma echoed similar concerns, saying key tasks like drain cleaning and retaining wall construction near the Bindal and Rispana rivers remain pending despite frequent flood deaths in these areas.
In response, the Dehradun Municipal Corporation said over 16,000 tonnes of waste had been cleared from the Rispana and areas like ISBT are currently being overhauled.
In Nainital, locals say safety continues to be sidelined in favour of beautification projects, even as the region's terrain grows more fragile. Multiple appeals to the chief minister's portal have reportedly gone unanswered. Landslides here continue to expose the limits of quick fixes.
In Oct 2023, a major slide displaced 24 families in Nainital after which geo-bags were used as a temporary remedy, but the promised safety wall remains missing nearly two years later.
A month later in Bhimtal, a landslide on Dhungshil hill underscored the failure of earlier check dam interventions. Locals are now demanding geological surveys and long-term reinforcement.
Tourism infrastructure hasn't been spared either.
In Aug 2024, a landslide triggered by a cloudburst wiped out Dorothy's Seat, popular as Tiffin Top, dealing a blow to the local economy. A section of the Naini Lake drain wall had also collapsed last year, and the temporary cement-bag fix failed quickly, further highlighting the pattern of patchwork solutions.
These aren't isolated incidents. In 2018, a chunk of Lower Mall Road collapsed into the lake. Emergency repairs restored traffic, but a lasting solution never followed.
Only after eight tenders and a cost escalation of Rs 70 lakh did a contractor finally agree to restore the stretch, though actual work is still pending.
The Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre (ULMMC) had launched a geo-database project in Dec 2024 to map high-risk zones like Balia Nala, Mall Road, and Naina Peak. But on the ground, locals say there is little to show for it.
With the rains already underway, fresh risks have emerged.
In Ramnagar, Friday's downpour caused the Dhangadhi drain to breach, flooding NH-309, a key route linking Kumaon and Garhwal.
To prevent further disasters, Pithoragarh DM Vinod Kumar Goswami inspected the district disaster mitigation office and asked officials to bring down the 30-minute average response time. He directed teams to clear drains and culverts before the rains and position earthmovers at known slide zones.
Contact details of remote employees were verified, satellite phones checked, and instructions passed to villagers and field staff.
In Udham Singh Nagar, DM Nitin Singh Bhadauria held a high-level preparedness meeting on Friday, ordering all departments to remain on high alert for flooding and waterlogging. "No officer shall leave headquarters without permission, and phones must stay on at all times," he said, warning of strict action under the Disaster Management Act for non-compliance.
Tehsils, police, and forest departments were told to ensure disaster-response equipment is ready.
Drain cleaning must be completed without delay, and the irrigation department was asked to expedite river-channelisation and provide visual documentation.
He also emphasised road safety audits, especially to remove hazardous roadside trees. All 29 flood outposts must be staffed round-the-clock, with 24x7 control rooms active at both district and tehsil levels.
Medical officers were told to stock up on essential medicines and ensure ambulance readiness. Vulnerable villages must be monitored, shelters identified, and toilets, electricity, and water ensured. "No classes must be held in dilapidated school buildings," Bhadauria told the chief education officer.
NDRF, SDRF, and SSB units have also been put on standby.
Despite these efforts, the larger pattern remains unchanged, officials scramble each monsoon, but systemic reforms and permanent fixes remain elusive.
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