Arunachal: Massive landslide at Karsingsa block point forces Itanagar administration to shut road

A massive landslide occurred at the infamous Karsingsa block point on Friday morning, forcing the Capital Itanagar administration to close the road for commuters’ safety but now the citizens urging for complete restoration of the road citing challenges faced by commuters and school-going children who travel via Assam to reach twin capital towns.

A viaduct is under construction which will be an alternate route to reach Banderdewa and Karsingsa towns from the capital city, but the delay in its completion is raising concern as the deadline is in August but many portions of work in the viaduct is still not completed which comes under package C of four lane highway from Itanagar to Banderdewa.

The resident of Karsingsa town Arun Yangfo expressed concern over the lackadaisical attitude of the state government towards the restoration of this block point and cited that the rampant earth cutting of Itanagar Municipal Corporation for its proposed Solid Waste Management plant site added the disaster as earlier only one point gets blocked but now several portions got cut off due to the soil erosion by rampant earth cutting without precautions and safety measures. 
"We will start protesting against the administration and concerned departments if the restoration work doesn't begin in a day or two, heavy downpours cannot be used as an excuse for the cut off. The school-going children's citizens all commuters are facing hardship via travelling through long route via Assam costing them much and consuming more time and for emergency cases like patients in need of treatment this delay and cut off can proove a curse"

An inspection of the site by Deputy Commissioner Shweta Nagarkoti Mehta, it has been decided to close the road, and divert all traffic via Gumto.

The closure will remain in effect until further notice.

The deputy commissioner, who inspected the landslide-affected areas on Friday morning, said that men and machinery had been deployed to clear the blockades. She directed the highway department as well as the PWD to keep their personnel and equipment ready 24/7 and to take immediate action to clear the blockages. The deputy commissioner also visited the state highway through Ganga Lake to Batt village, where multiple landslides have occurred. She informed us that the installation of an alternate pipeline to supply drinking water to Itanagar town is underway.

“The electrical department is also carrying out restoration works,” the DC said.

She appealed to the residents to exercise utmost caution while traveling through these roads and to avoid unnecessary travel.