India > Landslides at the Rothang Pass

The last day through the mountains on the way to Manali. Today’s travel distance is also limited to just over a hundred kilometers. But the Rohtang Pass we have to cross is in poor condition. It also seems that it has been raining around Manali for days. The first part goes smoothly until we reach the bottom of the Rohtang Pass. On the narrow temporary bridge, a military convoy is just passing. They have priority.

India - The richly decorated trucks on the roads

There is nothing left to do but join the line of waiting cars and trucks. I get out and walk along the waiting vehicles toward the bridge. One by one, the trucks in the convoy cross the bridge extremely slowly. The bridge can only hold one vehicle at a time. The line of trucks seems endless—I estimate at least sixty to eighty trucks pass by. I order a cup of tea in a small local restaurant by the bridge and wait. When the last vehicle has finally passed, it’s time for the waiting traffic. It takes another half hour before my car can cross the bridge. I estimate that I have been waiting here for a total of about two hours. I quickly get back in and start driving up the Rohtang Pass. The road uphill is bad. I see more of a rocky path than a real mountain road. All the trucks that crossed the bridge ahead of us are now in front of us on the mountain pass. Rasjid honks constantly to indicate he wants to overtake—even when I think it’s completely impossible. On the wider sections, he passes the trucks. Unfortunately for him, just below the top of the Rohtang Pass, I spot some yaks on the mountainside—a perfect photo stop. While I photograph the yaks, the trucks behind us drive past again. Just over the 3,978-meter-high summit of the Rohtang Pass, the overtaking game begins again. Suddenly, I see a line of waiting cars on the pass. We join the queue. Due to the low-hanging clouds around the mountain, I cannot see clearly what is happening. I get out and walk to the front. From the gestures of the truck drivers, I understand that further along a section of the road has been washed away by last night’s rain.

India - The narrow muddy road on Rohtang Pass after a landslide earlier in the day

Stones are also coming down with the water. At the very front, I see workers reinforcing the road with rocks. The road is narrow and muddy from the rain. Close by, I occasionally hear the roar of falling rocks. I see stones falling from a twenty-meter-high cliff onto the road. No one can pass. Traffic is waiting on both sides. I estimate this will take quite some time. I walk back to the car and start on my packed lunch. While I am eating, Rasjid comes running. It is indicated that cars may drive past the line of waiting trucks. The road is apparently strong enough for smaller vehicles. All the cars accelerate quickly. Soon, everything comes to a standstill again. One can only hope the same doesn’t happen on the other side of the roadwork. Gradually, there is some movement in the line. Cars pass the narrow strip one by one. When it is our turn, I see a man gesturing to drive quickly along the dangerous section, probably to reduce the chance of being hit by a stone. Rasjid slips in the mud, and I hear rocks hitting the underside of the vehicle. We pass the landslides without incident. This is not the case for the last car in our group. While passing, a large 40-centimeter rock comes loose, rolls down, and hits the rear door with a loud crash. The car is badly damaged, but fortunately, no one is hurt. Everyone in that car is very shaken. Behind us, all traffic is immediately stopped again. The pass is closed once more. I imagine many truck drivers will have to spend the night on the mountain pass. We continue down the mountain. The road improves as we reenter the trees.

India - Part of the Beas River embankment has been washed away The road is closed

The altitude decreases quickly. As we near the bottom of the pass with just a few bends to go, traffic stops again. Just before the bridge over the Beas River, a section of the embankment has been washed away—a large hole twenty meters wide and ten meters deep. It happened this morning. From the accounts of bystanders, I gather that there were also some casualties. The road is completely blocked. With all their might, workers try to repair the gaping hole in the road. They form a line in the riverbed to pass stones along. On the other side, a large part of the asphalt road has also been washed away. In the middle of the river lie the wreckage of a temporary bridge that was washed away two years ago. Its twisted structure clearly shows the force of the water. It does not look like the hole will be repaired within a few hours. I carry my luggage on foot past the landslides, scrambling down a steep and muddy slope. Fortunately, all passersby lend a hand on the slippery hillside. My bag is taken from me, and men reach out to help. I safely reach the bottom. Two vehicles are quickly arranged. They were waiting for the road collapse and are more than happy to drive us to Manali for a few rupees. With luggage on the roof and the vehicles packed full, we drive the last ten kilometers to the hotel in Manali. I realize how lucky we’ve been—not just with the rock, but also because we could still have been stuck on the pass.