Minister Vikramaditya Singh Visits Rain-Hit Areas in Mandi, Assures Relief and Long-Term Disaster Preparedness.
Shimla:
Public Works and Urban Development Minister Vikramaditya Singh on Wednesday visited various flood- and landslide-affected areas of Mandi city following intense early-morning rainfall on Tuesday that caused severe damage to life and property. The visit, conducted under the instructions of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, aimed to assess the ground situation, interact with affected residents, and oversee ongoing relief operations.
During his inspection, Minister Singh toured several severely impacted zones including Jail Road, the Palace area in Ward No. 5, Zonal Hospital Road, Kalyan Dham, Sain Mohalla, and other localities. He met with affected families, expressed condolences for the lives lost, and offered reassurance of full support from the state government.
Speaking to reporters, Singh confirmed that the disaster had claimed three lives and caused partial or complete damage to 22 to 25 houses. “The state government stands firmly with the affected families. We are committed to providing every possible form of assistance—immediate relief as well as long-term rehabilitation,” he said.
Highlighting the challenges posed by landslides, Singh mentioned that several roads remain blocked due to fallen rocks and debris. He informed that specialized machinery, including Robo machines, will be deployed for controlled blasting to safely clear the routes and restore normal movement.
The minister also stressed the need to shift focus from reactive to proactive disaster management. He announced that the state government, in collaboration with the central government, is developing a comprehensive roadmap for installing an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Early Warning System. This system is aimed at issuing timely alerts in case of natural disasters such as flash floods and landslides.
“Disaster preparedness is now a key priority. We are not just focusing on relief but also on prevention. Early warning systems will help save lives and reduce damage,” Singh said.
He further added that in future, strict regulations will be enforced to prevent unscientific hill cutting during road construction projects. The government is working on introducing new policies rooted in the principles of sustainable and eco-friendly development to mitigate the risks associated with such extreme weather events.
The minister was accompanied by Mandi MLA Anil Sharma, District Council Member Champa Thakur, Mandi Mayor Virender Bhatt, Deputy Commissioner Apoorv Devgan, Superintendent of Police Sakshi Verma, Additional Deputy Commissioner Gursimer Singh, SDM Rupinder Kaur, Municipal Commissioner Rohit Rathour, and senior officials from departments such as Public Works, Jal Shakti, Forest, Electricity, and Urban Development.
The visit reflected the government’s proactive response to natural calamities and its growing emphasis on resilience, safety, and sustainability in disaster-prone areas of Himachal Pradesh.
