Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
NAINITAL: One of Nainital’s much-loved tourist attractions, Tiffin Top, collapsed on Tuesday night following heavy rainfall in the district. Locals said a part of the British-era structure fell with a loud sound around 11pm and the foundation, which had already developed cracks, collapsed.
The district administration and SDRF inspected
the site around midnight and confirmed that houses under the structure were safe.
Popularly known as Dorothy’s Seat, the famous
picnic spot is located at an altitude of 2,290m on Ayarpatta hill.
First reports of stones falling from the foundation surfaced in July 2020 and then district magistrate Savin Bansal had ordered survey.
In 2023, DM Dheeraj Garbyal requested another survey by geologists after boulders fell and cracks appeared. The district administration banned tourists from visiting the site and erected fencing around it.
Sub-divisional magistrate Pramod Kumar told TOI an expert committee has been formed to inspect the area and a detailed project report will be prepared for repairs. Cracks are still visible on the remaining part of the structure, and the team aims to find a permanent solution.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall has led to the closure
of 12 roads, including a highway in Nainital. Electricity and drinking water supply got disrupted in some parts of Okhalkanda. The regional meteorological centre has issued a yellow alert for heavy rain in Nainital, Pithoragarh, Champawat and Dehradun and an orange alert in Bageshwar. There is a danger of landslides occurring in hill districts and the Haldwani-Kaladhungi highway has been closed
Heavy rainfall hit several districts in Rajasthan, with Tonk’s Nagarfort recording 321 mm. Other regions like Pali, Bundi, and Bhilwara also saw significant downpours. The weather system, originating from Madhya Pradesh, weakened while moving westward. This caused
disruptions, including cancelled and diverted trains, with continued rain expected in Ajmer, Jodhpur, and Bikaner divisions.
Dongrim mud house collapses
A mud house in Dongrim collapsed on Sunday morning at around 11.30am. The residents escaped without injury, though their belongings were damaged. Sarpanch Prashant Naik has requested an inspection to assess the damage and assured that the family will receive timely financial assistance and that the house will be rebuilt promptly under the disaster management scheme.
