A year after Sutlej triggered landslides, residents say retaining walls yet to be built
16 July, 2026 – Ropar : As monsoon rains return to Punjab, anxiety has gripped the residents of Bhabor Sahib in Nangal and Bara Pind near Bharatgarh, two villages that remain among the worst affected by last year’s Sutlej-induced landslides.
With deep cracks still visible in several locations and erosion continuing along the riverbank, villagers fear that another spell of heavy rain could trigger fresh landslides and put lives and property at risk.
For the people of Bhabor Sahib, every downpour revives memories of the devastation caused during the 2025 monsoon, when a large portion of the riverbank weakened, cracks appeared in residential areas and agricultural fields, and several families were forced to live under constant fear of losing their homes.
“We do not know when a substantial part of our village will slide into the Sutlej,” said Ram Kumar, a resident of Bhabor Sahib. “Last year, leaders from almost every political party, including our local MLA and Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains, visited the village and assured us that a retaining wall would be constructed. More than a year has passed and another monsoon is here, but work has not even started.”
Residents of Bara Pind village located in Bharatgarh area of Ropar district share similar concerns. The village, located along a vulnerable stretch of the Sutlej, also witnessed severe soil erosion and landslides last year. Villagers say the cracks that developed after the floods have widened at several places, making them apprehensive about the impact of sustained rainfall during the current monsoon.
The delay in constructing permanent protection works has become a major issue in the Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency. Villagers allege that while political leaders rushed to the affected areas after last year’s disaster and announced relief measures, little has changed on the ground since then.
According to administrative sources, the proposed construction of retaining walls has remained stalled because of a shortage of funds. The district administration had approached the Soil Conservation Department and the Public Works Department to execute the project, but both departments reportedly expressed their inability to take up the work without adequate financial support.
Punjab Education and Local Bodies Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who represents the Anandpur Sahib Assembly constituency, said the government had already undertaken extensive flood protection works in several vulnerable areas after the 2025 floods.
“Nearly 70 habitations in the constituency were threatened by the Sutlej last year, and around Rs 50 crore has already been spent on flood protection works in different villages,” Bains told The Tribune.
However, the minister acknowledged that Bhabor Sahib and Bara Pind require permanent engineering interventions instead of temporary flood-control measures.
“A substantial amount is needed to construct concrete retaining walls along the vulnerable stretches of the Sutlej. We have submitted a proposal to the State Level Disaster Management Authority seeking financial assistance for these projects,” he said.
Bains said nearly Rs 20s crores more would be required to execute the retaining walls and related protection works in the most vulnerable villages. He expressed hope that the proposal would soon receive approval under the State Disaster Management Fund.
Experts believe the threat remains serious because last year’s floods weakened the riverbanks and destabilised the soil. They say retaining walls and slope-stabilisation measures are essential to prevent further erosion and protect habitations located close to the Sutlej.
The Tribune