The restlessness of the government to save the sinking city of Joshimath is visible now, and a geological survey has been initiated. The affected families are now being shifted to secure places. But it is to be noted that the problems related to cracks developing in the house walls of people are not limited to Joshimath only. The cracks have now exceeded the map of Joshimath.
More than 30 villages across the 4 districts of Tehri, Paudi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli, are also paying the price of development which has emerged with the largest rail project of the Himalayas which is being constructed from Rishikesh to Karnaprayag. Around 6 thousand families are stressed out, because whole of the Maroda village of Rudraprayag district is being shifted from the rail project because of dilapidated houses.
The 4 major reasons which are increasing the tensions are that firstly, the Rishikesh-Karnaprayag project is 125-KM long, and the longest tunnel runs from Devprayag to Janasu (14.8 KM), and boring machine is being used in this tunnel only, and the threat is increasing because the other 15 tunnels are seeing the use of drill and blast technique.
Secondly, Tunnels are passing from under the houses in villages like Shrinagar, Maletha, and Gauchar in 4 districts, and cracks in the houses are developing because of the underground blasts. Thirdly, the houses are constructed on slopes because of the hilly terrain, and hence, the foundations are weak. Therefore, the risk of cracks developing in the walls increases with underground blasts. Lastly, the state of Uttarakhand falls in the most dangerous zone of earthquakes, which is zone 5, and earthquakes of lesser intensities hit the state continuously.
