Experts hyperlink deadly mudslip to poor highway stability measures in Idukki

A mudslip that claimed the lifetime of a 47-year-old man and injured his spouse, and broken eight houses within the Laksham Veedu colony at Kumbanpara, close to Adimaly, in Idukki on the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway resulted from the chopping of slopes of the highway with out correct stability measures, in response to consultants.

According to geologists, soil situation performs a significant function in triggering mudslips in these areas. “The lime-type soil in Devikulam taluk, particularly in Adimaly and Munnar, out of the blue absorbs water. Unscientific road-widening works on the Gap Road stretch of the Kochi-Dhanushkodi National Highway and Kumbanpara in Adimaly resulted in a sequence of landslips and mudslips on the freeway,” stated a senior geologist.

Okay.S. Sajin Kumar, Assistant Professor on the Geology division of the University of Kerala, stated that the sector pictures of the affected space present that the soil is just too gentle. So when excavation is completed on such soil, particularly in giant cuts with steep angles, mitigation measures like developing benches and masking the uncovered slopes with geotextile membranes (equivalent to jute) are helpful. During the wet season, this gentle soil tends to turn out to be fluidized simply, inflicting particles to be carried over lengthy distances, as seen on this case. If the excavation had been achieved through the summer time, even when the slopes collapsed, the absence of flowing water would have prevented the particles from travelling far,” stated Dr. Kumar.

Meanwhile, Idukki District Collector Dinesan Cheruvat fashioned a particular staff to examine the mudslip web site on Monday. According to officers, the professional staff will submit their main report inside two days and an in depth report inside 4 days.

The Gap Road stretch has skilled almost two dozen landslips over the previous 4 years. Two main landslips occurred close to the previous Government College at Devikulam on the Munnar-Bodimettu stretch on July 26 and 27, 2025. A transferring lorry was trapped beneath the particles, and the car driver, Ganeshan, 58, a resident of Munnar Anthoniyar Nager, died, and helper Murukan, 50, sustained accidents. Following this, An professional staff led by Dr. Kumar carried out a research on the stretch and located that the chopping of the slope for the highway widening work on the Munnar-Bodimettu Highway was a big issue contributing to the landslips close to the previous Government College at Devikulam.

Meanwhile, the State Human Rights Commission has registered a suo motu case over the mudslip tragedy at Kumabanpara. The fee has taken a suo motu case primarily based on the media studies. SHRC chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas has directed the conduct of an professional research on the problem. The Idukki district collector ought to take into account the possibilities of offering monetary help to the affected household. The households within the threat-posing areas needs to be relocated. The district collector ought to submit a report earlier than the fee inside one month. They ought to seem earlier than the fee sitting at Thodupuzha in December.”