Kalinga Ghat Landslide: NHAI Starts Clearing Road, Plans Permanent Fix

Berhampur: After a massive landslide struck Kalinga Ghat in Odisha’s Kandhamal district on Tuesday, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has launched emergency repair work on the severely damaged NH-157.

The landslide occurred at Andharkote in G Udayagiri block, where boulders and mud buried a 25-metre stretch of the highway. The collapse also exposed a water stream, further weakening the slope. The damage, estimated at a depth of 10 to 12 metres, has cut off road access to Kandhamal via Bhanjanagar, impacting traffic to key districts like Boudh, Balangir, Rayagada, Ganjam, and others.

NHAI engineers confirmed that teams have been deployed for round-the-clock debris removal and temporary water management using pipelines. Restoring traffic is the immediate focus.

As per the plans of restoration, permanent retaining and guard walls will be constructed to stabilise the vulnerable stretch and prevent future landslides.

While officials estimate that it will take at least two days to reopen the road, efforts are on at war footing to restore the vital highway lifeline for southern and western Odisha.