LG Ladakh reviews landslide preparedness, orders safety audit of vulnerable roads

Excelsior Correspondent

LEH, Aug 7: Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has directed the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and the Public Works Department (PWD) to carry out detailed safety audits of vulnerable road stretches in Ladakh and take immediate preventive measures to minimise the risk of landslides and rockfalls.

The directions were issued during a high-level review meeting held in the wake of recent incidents that damaged property and disrupted traffic on key highways in the Union Territory.

The meeting, attended by GOC 14 Corps, Lt Gen Madanraj Pande, BRO officials and UT Administration representatives, reviewed preparedness and mitigation measures aimed at reducing the impact of natural disasters and ensuring uninterrupted road connectivity.

The Lieutenant Governor appreciated the Army and BRO for their prompt relief and road-clearance operations during recent flash floods and landslides but stressed the need for a proactive approach to prevent such incidents.

He directed the concerned agencies to conduct detailed safety audits of around 15 identified high-risk locations on the Leh-Kargil National Highway and four to five vulnerable points on the Khardung La stretch of the Leh-Nubra road.

He also asked officials to identify unstable slopes and remove loose rocks that could endanger commuters.

The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that the focus should shift from responding to disasters after they occur to preventing them through scientific risk assessment, engineering solutions and modern technology.

He said the priority is to ensure public safety, protect critical infrastructure and maintain all-weather connectivity across Ladakh.

During the meeting, BRO officials made a presentation on the causes of slope failures, citing changing rainfall patterns, geological conditions, weathering, developmental activities and water pressure.

They also outlined various mitigation measures, including retaining walls, soil nailing, rock bolting, protective barriers, rockfall embankments, smart detection systems and geosynthetic technologies.

BRO assured the Lieutenant Governor that safety audits and preventive works on the Leh-Kargil and Leh-Nubra highways would be taken up on priority, while the PWD was directed to undertake similar measures on major roads under its jurisdiction.