Cracks appeared on the floors and walls of at least seven buildings in the residential area adjacent to the cemetery in the Shanti Vihar ward in Sanjauli area of Shimla, leaving the residents worried about safety.
Following this, the district administration had directed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to stop the work of the tunnels which the residents blame for the cracks in the buildings that are continuously widening, causing panic among the local residents.
The cemetery area of the city is densely populated and features numerous multi-story buildings. While cracks have appeared in more than half a dozen houses so far, the situation has heightened concerns among owners of other nearby buildings. Two tunnels are being constructed between Bhattakufar and Chalaunthi as part of the four-lane project, with construction proceeding from both ends.
Significant damage has already occurred in areas such as Bhattakufar, Mathu Colony, Chalounthi, and Lindidhar due to the four-lane highway construction. Several houses have developed cracks, and the risk of landslides has increased. However, the NHAI has undertaken work to stabilise the land in these areas, providing some relief. A few buildings have also been acquired.
On Saturday, a district administration team led by ADM (protocol) Gyan Sagar Negi and SDM (rural) Manjeet Sharma visited the site to assess the damage.
{{/usCountry}}On Saturday, a district administration team led by ADM (protocol) Gyan Sagar Negi and SDM (rural) Manjeet Sharma visited the site to assess the damage.
{{/usCountry}}Former Shimla mayor Sanjay Chauhan said that the company constructing the four-lane highway did not consult any local residents before commencing the tunnel work. “The tunnel passes beneath 250 to 300 buildings, and if the work is not halted, these structures will face significant danger,” said Chauhan while demanding immediate compensation for those whose homes have suffered damage.
The NHAI has installed equipment at the site to monitor the vibrations caused by the four-lane tunnel construction. Videography of the buildings in the area is also being conducted.
The residents pointed out that the four-lane tunnels are being constructed directly beneath this residential area. Blasting is being carried out at night, endangering the homes situated above the tunnel. A delegation of residents along with councilor Vineet Sharma, had also met with mayor Surender Chauhan to raise the issue, urging an inspection of the area and a halt to the tunnel construction. Subsequently, they met with deputy commissioner Anupam Kashyap.
Councilor Vineet Sharma said, “Two four-lane tunnels are being constructed from Bhattakufar to Chalaunthi, and the construction work has now reached the area directly beneath this residential locality. Locals report that tunnel excavation involving blasting is being carried out at night, causing cracks to appear in residential houses. Residents have demanded that the DC immediately halt tunnel construction until measures are taken to reinforce the area and address public concerns.”
“The NHAI is installing equipment in the Shanti Vihar residential area to monitor the vibrations caused by the tunnel construction. The equipment was installed within the residential area on Friday, and the locality has been videographed,” councilor Shamra said.
“The point now where the construction is to be carried out is densely populated and poses a threat to about 300 buildings. We have demanded that the work should not be executed till geological study is done and residents are convinced that their houses will not be damaged,” he added.
NHAI in a statement clarified that all necessary precautions have been undertaken during the project execution in accordance with established engineering practices and in consultation with the concerned residents. They said that blasting activities associated with the tunnel construction were suspended in November 2025 and no blasting operations have been undertaken thereafter.