Damaged Mussoorie NH stretch opens for one-way traffic

Mussoorie: A damaged stretch of National Highway 707A near Gandhi Chowk in Mussoorie was reopened for one-way traffic on Tuesday, over a month after it was closed on Feb 12, allegedly due to excavation at its base.The decision followed a visit by cabinet minister Ganesh Joshi, who urged National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials to allow partial movement on the busy road. "The road was damaged due to illegal plotting below the highway. Repair work is nearly complete and based on public demand, we have asked NHAI to open it for one-way traffic," Joshi said.Residents welcomed the move and expressed hope that full traffic would resume before the tourist season. "We hope two-way traffic is restored soon. With the tourist season approaching and schools reopening, there has been chaos on the alternative routes for over a month," said Shalabh Garg, a resident.NHAI officials said repair work is likely to be completed within four to five days, after which normal traffic will be restored.According to officials, property owners had allegedly engaged in illegal mining using heavy machinery near the highway, triggering a landslide. The damage disrupted connectivity to key destinations, including Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Kempty Falls and parts of Tehri and Uttarkashi districts.