Quest for disaster-resilient roads in the Himalaya

Abstract

Mountain roads are important lifelines and the most critical means for connectivity in the Himalayan villages of India. However, the inherent geological, geomorphological, ecological and climate fragility of the terrain warrants critical scientific investigations for the roads to sustain the vagaries of nature. Further, the increased frequency of extreme events with the ongoing climate change increases the potential impact of disasters. This note highlights the major challenges and issues faced with the ongoing road-widening projects in the country. It cautions against the uniform standard of road widening and the need to increase sensitivity towards appreciating the terrain fragility. © 2021