Shimla Administration Suspends Blasting Permission for Tunnel, Seeks IIT Roorkee Experts to Probe Cracks in Houses
Officials stopped tunnelling after residents reported cracks in eight buildings, while the Geological Survey of India team and district officers inspect the site.
- On Monday, Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap suspended blasting permission for the Kalka-Shimla twin-tunnel project in the Sanjauli-Cemetery area following reports of structural damage in nearby houses.
- Residents, including 60-year-old Parshotma Devi, reported cracks appearing in eight buildings within a week, suspecting blasting caused the damage despite construction companies denying explosives use since November 2025.
- A team from the Geological Survey of India visited the site to assess structural damage, and the district administration requested the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee to conduct a technical assessment of the cracks.
- Officials will inspect houses within an approximately 100-metre-wide zone above the twin tunnels, and the construction company must prepare a repair roadmap for verification by the Public Works Department.
- Assessment efforts will proceed in three sections, prioritizing properties directly above the tunnels and the 20-metre gap, establishing a comprehensive record to ensure resident safety and facilitate long-term property restoration.
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The ongoing tunneling for the four-laning of the National Highway in Shimla's Sanjauli area has raised concerns among local residents. Residents allege that the construction work has caused cracks in approximately 10 houses. Taking the matter seriously, the Shimla District Magistrate has ordered a halt to the work. Retaining walls are being erected around the affected houses.
Himachal: IIT-Roorkee team to probe cracks in Sanjauli houses - The Tribune
A team of experts from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, will conduct a scientific and technical assessment of around 10 buildings that have developed cracks in Sanjauli to ascertain the exact cause of the damage.
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Shimla administration suspends blasting permission for tunnel, seeks IIT Roorkee experts to probe cracks in houses
The Shimla district administration has suspended, with immediate effect, the blasting permission granted to the construction company undertaking underground twin-tunnel work in the Sanjauli-Cemetery area, following the appearance of cracks and other damage in houses located above the tunnel.
The issue of cracks in houses caused by tunnel construction in the Cemetery and Dhingu Bawdi areas of the capital Shimla has now reached the government. Affected residents, led by local councilor Vinay Sharma, met with Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh on Tuesday and informed him of the danger posed to their homes by the tunnel. Anirudh Singh stated that the tunnel construction has caused major cracks in 13 to 14 buildings, and these houses …
Himachal Pradesh: After cracks in houses, Shimla administration suspends blasting permit for tunnel, seeks IIT’s help
The Shimla administration on Monday suspended the blasting permission granted to the construction company undertaking the tunneling work in the Sanjauli-Cemetery area. The decision was taken after cracks appeared in several houses located on top of the site.
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