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A massive landslide struck the Lumding-Lanka stretch of National Highway 27 (NH-27) early on Saturday, disrupting traffic and triggering serious safety concerns among commuters. The incident occurred at a sharp turn along the hilly section of the highway, where a significant portion of the mountain slope gave way, scattering loose earth and debris onto the road.
As a result, one lane of the busy highway has been completely blocked, halting vehicular movement and causing long traffic snarls. Eyewitnesses reported that the landslide occurred following days of intermittent rainfall in the region, which likely weakened the soil structure.
What has added to public frustration is the conspicuous absence of any police or administrative personnel at the site hours after the incident. Commuters and local residents, some of whom narrowly escaped being caught in the landslide, have expressed deep concern over the delay in emergency response and traffic management.
Voicing their anger, several passersby have levelled serious allegations against the Gayatri Company — the firm responsible for constructing this stretch of the highway. According to them, the construction quality has been poor from the beginning, and this landslide was a disaster waiting to happen.
“The entire hillside was reinforced with netting by Gayatri around 7–8 years ago, but it was clearly not up to the mark. The nets are now either rusted or buried under loose soil. This could’ve easily turned fatal,” said one daily commuter from Lumding.
This section of NH-27 is a crucial link between Lumding and Lanka, and the landslide has disrupted not only civilian traffic but also commercial transportation. Locals are urging the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and district administration to step in immediately, clear the debris, and ensure a thorough safety audit of the entire hill stretch to prevent future mishaps.