Dehradun, July 24, 2026 (Doon Horizon)
Authorities have banned all vehicular traffic on the key Dehradun-Mussoorie route during night hours following dangerous landslides caused by continuous torrential rainfall across Uttarakhand. The road closure will remain in effect every night from 8:00 PM to 6:00 AM until further orders to prevent accidents on the slippery mountain stretch.
Public safety concerns escalated late Thursday evening after sudden heavy downpours lashed the capital city and surrounding hills, bringing down debris onto critical arterial roads.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow alert on Friday for six districts, warning of heavy rainfall accompanied by severe lightning strikes. IMD Regional Director Dr. CS Tomar confirmed that Dehradun, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Bageshwar, Pithoragarh, and Nainital are bracing for heavy spells. Mountain districts face high risk of debris flow while plain belts remain vulnerable to intense cloud-to-ground lightning.
Over 51 motor roads across the state remain completely snapped due to fresh landslides. Public Works Department (PWD) Head of Department Rajesh Sharma said field divisions have been ordered to clear blocked routes on war footing. However, persistent rain keeps pushing loose boulders onto the tarmac, severely slowing down clearance operations.
Remote tribal belts in Jaunsar-Bawar bore the brunt of the weather overnight as eight major motorways went down simultaneously. Field crews managed to restore five routes by Friday morning—including key stretches near Tyuni and Chakrata—while work continues on the Silikhad-Kunain, Retad-Hivai, Myunda-Meghad, and Tiger Fall link roads.
Property damage is mounting in the lower plains as well. A poultry farm owned by local resident Shakuntala Devi collapsed entirely in Gram Panchayat Baluwala due to waterlogging and foundation erosion. The collapse killed over 200 chicks trapped inside the rubble, prompting the affected family to demand an immediate official assessment and administrative compensation.
Rainfall figures released for the last 24 hours show Dangoli recording the state’s highest precipitation at 35.5 mm. Urban parts of Dehradun—including Rajpur Road, Majra, ISBT, and Raipur—experienced sharp temperature drops accompanied by localized urban flooding in low-lying residential sectors. Weather officials urged residents in sensitive landslide zones to avoid non-essential travel.
