A delegation of 78 corporators from Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), a few of them with their family members and about 13 support staff from the civic body, had to face an ordeal of over 10 hours, when the bus in which they were travelling was stranded on NH-3 (Kullu-Manali) route, since wee hours of Saturday, due to landslides caused by cloud bursts.
Following a herculean effort by the local officials of Himachal Pradesh and the Indian Army, the bus moved around 12 noon on Saturday, after the road was cleared.
The GVMC corporators are on study tour to various Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) since August 16. They visited Delhi and Kullu corporations and were returning to Delhi and the landslide took place near Mandi, on Saturday night around 1 a.m. The corporators have been stranded since then. The landslide reportedly occurred about 1 kilometre ahead of the bus in which the GVMC delegation was present. Fortunately, all of them are safe.
Also read: 5 killed, 13 feared dead in separate incidents of flash flood, landslide in Himachal Pradesh
Some of the corporators like Deputy Mayor J. Sridhar, and Janasena Party Floor Leader B. Vasanthalakshmi have sent video messages conveying that they are safe.
GVMC Commissioner G. Lakshmisha told The Hindu that he has contacted the Collectors from Kullu and Mandi, who assured to provide basic amenities to the stranded GVMC delegation.
The collectors informed us that due to heavy rain, removing the boulders was not possible immediately and it was done after the rains subsided. It took about two to three hours to clear the road of boulders and slush, he said.
The rescue effort was coordinated by senior bureaucrat Praveeen Prakash, who is currently posted in Andhra Bhavan in New Delhi, said Mr. Lakshmisha.
“We are also in touch with the State Government of HP, Municipal Minister of AP, Andhra Bhavan officials in New Delhi and AP Police and monitoring the situation from time to time,” he added.
