Heavy rainfall that began late Saturday evening triggered widespread destruction in Dehradun, causing landslides, flooding, and damage to infrastructure. The worst-affected areas include Kirsali, Kargi Grant, Malsi, and Sahastradhara Road, where the Bindal River swelled dangerously, leading to collapsed houses and damaged roads.
In Kargi Grant, the Bindal River’s furious flow caused the collapse of two houses around 4 a.m. on Sunday. Fortunately, no casualties were reported; however, cracks appeared in nearby houses, prompting an immediate evacuation. District officials and disaster management teams swiftly relocated affected families to relief camps. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Ajay Singh personally supervised the rescue efforts and instructed police and fire services to remain on high alert.
Locals Shahid Ansari and Shaheed Idrishi lost their homes to the river’s current. Shahid recounted hearing a loud noise before safely escaping with his family. However, their household items, food supplies, and clothing were washed away. Many displaced families have taken shelter with neighbours.
Near Kirsali Chowk, a retaining wall collapsed close to the Nagal Helipad, forcing the evacuation of a four-storey building early Sunday morning. A neighbouring structure was also partially damaged. Resident Jeetu reported that poor drainage in the colony led to rainwater entering homes. The Municipal Corporation deployed JCB machines to clear debris and created temporary channels for water drainage.
In Malsi, a section of the road near the Dehradun Zoo caved in after a supporting wall collapsed. Police restricted heavy vehicular movement and advised tourists heading to Mussoorie to use alternate routes. As a precaution, the zoo has been temporarily shut.
In the Badowala area along the Shimla Bypass, open plots turned into waterlogged swamps due to a lack of proper drainage. Rainwater entered homes, prompting intervention from municipal teams to initiate dewatering measures.
Shockingly, illegal mining activities continued in Kaulagarh despite the rain. In Bajawala, locals recorded videos of tractor trolleys extracting gravel from the swollen riverbed and demanded strict administrative action.
Urban infrastructure suffered widespread damage. Portions of the footpath along Mussoorie Road were washed away, posing a risk to pedestrians. Roads across Sahastradhara Road, Gandhi Road, Johri Gaon, and Mussoorie Bypass were damaged while waterlogging and scattered gravel disrupted traffic flow. Ongoing power line installations have left open pits on several roads, increasing the risk of accidents. Waterlogging also affected Haridwar Bypass, Kargi Grant, Kathbangla, and other low-lying areas.
In response, the administration has switched to high alert mode. With a red alert issued by the Meteorological Department, all district officials and disaster response teams are actively monitoring vulnerable zones. SSP Ajay Singh confirmed that teams are fully prepared to handle any emergency that may arise.
