Shimla, August 26: A comprehensive landslide susceptibility study conducted along the Solan-Shimla national highway has revealed that approximately 60 percent of the 45-kilometer stretch falls under moderate to very high-risk categories. Published on August 24 by Springer Nature, the research maps 48 specific landslide locations along the key Himalayan supply line, which serves as a crucial route for fuel, food, and essential commodities reaching remote border zones and Kinnaur.
Analyzing the structural triggers, researchers from Kurukshetra University, Banaras Hindu University, Netaji Subhash University of Technology, and NIIT University stated that human activities have accelerated slope failure conditions across the region. Investigators affirmed that road widening and toe removal disturb the natural equilibrium of slopes, maintaining that poorly assessed slope modifications significantly reduce overall terrain stability. Investigators declared that high relative relief, steep dip slopes, unstable geological structures, and intense monsoon rainfall continue to exacerbate structural vulnerabilities.
The susceptibility mapping indicates that 12.83 percent of the evaluated area falls into the very high risk zone, 21.97 percent into high risk, and 26.58 percent into moderate risk, leaving around 38 percent in low or very low risk zones. Located primarily within seismic Zone IV, the corridor faces compound risks from both rainfall and potential earthquake activity.
Highlighting the broader regional context, the research team maintained that the Himalayan region suffers a higher frequency of landslides than other mountain ranges globally. Authors asserted that extensive deforestation, infrastructure expansion, and slope alterations remain primary drivers, adding that India accounts for nearly 15 percent of global landslide occurrences and roughly 31 percent of related fatalities worldwide.
