Shillong: Traffic along the vital Shillong–Pynursla–Dawki highway came to an abrupt halt on Tuesday afternoon after a massive landslide struck near Laitlyngkot at around 4 pm, blocking the road in both directions.
The sudden cave-in left long queues of vehicles stranded along the route, which connects the state capital to a key international border point.
Officials said there were no reports of injuries, but the extent of the debris made the road completely impassable.
The landslide is believed to have been triggered by ongoing road-cutting activities in the area, which have already caused multiple disruptions over the past few months.
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Earthmoving equipment was deployed as soon as the incident was reported, and clearing work continued late into the evening in an effort to restore traffic as quickly as possible.
However, authorities cautioned that reopening the highway would depend on the stability of the affected slope and weather conditions.
Persistent disturbances on this stretch have prompted the SDO Pynursla to enforce time-regulated movement of vehicles in recent weeks, a measure aimed at reducing risks to commuters while construction progresses.
