Illegal mining triggers collapse of NH-707A near Kempty Falls

Mussoorie: A stretch of National Highway 707A near Mussoorie's Gandhi Chowk caved in on Thursday evening, allegedly due to illegal excavation beneath the road, disrupting traffic to key destinations including Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Kempty Falls, and parts of Tehri and Uttarkashi districts. What began as a minor cave-in in the afternoon — with limited vehicular movement still allowed — worsened by evening, when nearly a 25-metre stretch collapsed, forcing authorities to shut the road completely.Officials said the owners of an adjoining property had been carrying out stone cutting and excavation using heavy machinery for over a week to expand their plot. Although the sanctioned plan permitted construction 12 metres from the highway's centre line, excavation was allegedly undertaken up to just four metres from the road, destabilising the hillside and leading to the embankment's collapse.Police said an FIR has been registered under relevant sections on a complaint by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) against property owners Anita Thalwal, Sunita Dhanai and Satish Goyal."We have taken strict action against those responsible, and a monetary penalty is being imposed to cover the cost of reconstructing the road. The mining department has also issued a challan and the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) has cancelled the sanctioned map," said Rahul Anand, sub-divisional magistrate, Mussoorie. He added that officials from MDDA and the mining department have also been directed to intensify monitoring of construction activities in the town.Authorities noted that some houses along the highway were built illegally – a trend residents say is becoming common. "Illegal construction is increasing in the town, and there is little fear of MDDA among residents. At times, officials also turn a blind eye," said a resident, requesting anonymity. Meanwhile, officials said the reconstruction work will begin soon and efforts will be made to complete it within a month.