Himalayas Cannot Be Tamed Without Geologists” – Dr. Ritesh Arya, Guinness World Record Holder

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Press Note

“Himalayas Cannot Be Tamed Without Geologists” – Dr. Ritesh Arya, Guinness World Record Holder

Sub-headline: “Kalka–Shimla Railway built with geological wisdom stands firm, while Himachal’s roads collapse every monsoon due to engineering without geology.”

Himachal Pradesh is paying the price for ignoring geology. Every monsoon, roads collapse, slopes give way, and villages are cut off. Billions of rupees are spent on repairs, yet the destruction repeats itself. The root cause is clear: our roads are designed and built without geological knowledge.

Unlike the Kalka–Shimla railway line, which has stood the test of time because it was planned with geological wisdom, most of our roads are based on Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) prepared in offices by non-geologists. The result is a nightmare of recurring landslides and sinking roads.

Major Blunders in Road Construction

1. Indiscriminate hill cutting for retaining walls – Instead of building walls only where required, slopes were unnecessarily cut, destabilising the mountains. With proper geological input, both cost and slope stability could have been maintained.

2. Unscientific drilling and bolting – Applied everywhere without prior geological investigation, this practice has actually triggered more landslides rather than preventing them.

3. Generalisation without mapping – Roads are built on assumptions instead of detailed geological mapping, leading to fragile designs that cannot withstand Himalayan rains.

A GeoAudit of all PWD projects will reveal these fundamental mistakes. The absence of geologists in planning and execution has made our roads unsafe, unsustainable, and far more costly than they should be.

Mining Adds to the Crisis

Compounding this problem, the post of Mining Officer is still filled by non-technical candidates—even M.A. English graduates. Meanwhile, Himachal Pradesh University does not even have a Geology Department. Neither ruling party, opposition, nor bureaucracy has opposed this system—because it suits all. The cost, once again, is borne by the people.

The Way Forward

As a geologist and Guinness World Record holder who has studied the Himalayas for over three decades, I demand:

1. Immediate appointment of qualified geologists, hydrogeologists, and mining engineers in all mining and infrastructure-related posts.

2. Establishment of a Geology Department in Himachal Pradesh University to train future experts.

3. Mandatory geological investigations and mapping before any road, tunnel, or mining project is sanctioned.

4. GeoAudit of existing infrastructure projects to identify mistakes and prevent further waste of public money.

Message to the State

👉 “Every monsoon, Himachal bleeds because science is ignored. The Kalka–Shimla rail line succeeded because a geologist designed it. Our roads fail because they are built without geology. Sustainable development in the Himalayas is impossible without geologists.” – Dr. Ritesh Arya

– Dr. Ritesh Arya

Renowned Geologist | Guinness World Record Holder | Pioneer of Groundwater Exploration & Fossil Discoveries in the Himalayas

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