Impact of landslides on highways and their control

Abstract

Indian Himalayan region constantly faces the challenge of balancing natural ecosystem with the fast expanding population and overgrowing economic developmental demands. Construction of new road network in rugged terrain of Himalaya or their ongoing expansion into "all weather roads" is causing high impact on the natural slopes which if not monitored or treated well, can lead to recurring landslide failures these Highways.The highways/roads constructed across the hills and mountains of Himalayan terrain face severe landslide problems during every year. The frequency of their recurrence/occurrence is very high to the extent that states generally find them helpless in properly addressing these issues, not speaking about the rehabilitation and short term/long term mitigation and management issues. The processes keeps repeating and costs on only restoration works, increases many fold. Landslides not only disrupt the existing public roadways but also impacts the associated infrastructure and surrounding environment in many different ways which also affects the socioeconomic condition of the region. In spite of the modern technology of investigation, construction, mapping etc. the highways continue to suffer uninterruptedly. This paper discusses landslide some of the important issues and gaps pertaining to planning, construction and maintenance of highways/roads including landslide control in Himalaya. izLrkouk ioZrh;