Expert team to inspect mudslide and crack on highway near Munnar

Soil removal work on the mudslide-affected section of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway near the Munnar CSI Church is nearly complete as of Wednesday. According to officials, a major roadside crack developed and a mudslide occurred near Munnar town on Saturday evening, prompting authorities to suspend traffic on the route connecting the Munnar CSI Church to the RO Junction.

Idukki Deputy Collector Binu Joseph stated that once the soil removal is finished, an expert team will inspect the stretch on Thursday. The team includes a hazard analyst, district geologist, senior groundwater hydrologist, soil conservation officer, assistant director of soil survey, and an assistant executive engineer from the National Highway Authority (NHA). “Following the high-level inspection, a decision will be made on whether traffic can resume on Friday,” Joseph said. “Given the urgency of reopening the road, we plan to allow single-lane traffic initially,” said the official.

The official added that the NHA has been directed to clear the minimum required soil from the area to resume traffic safely. Revenue department sources suspected that unscientific road widening works caused the crack and subsequent mudslide.

“The crack developed because the hillsides absorbed excessive water during the heavy rains,” a source said. “The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) has already directed that all construction activities, including large building projects, must stop when Red and Orange alerts are issued in the district. This directive also applies to the National Highway Authority’s Road widening works.”

According to officials, the road closure has drawn complaints from local vendors and tourism stakeholders, who say their businesses have been severely affected.