Burliyar landslide: NHAI, state govt failed to act on GSI warnings, say Poovulagin Nanbargal

CHENNAI: Environmental organisation Poovulagin Nanbargal has blamed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Tamil Nadu government for the October 23 landslide at Burliyar in the Nilgiris, alleging that their failure to act on prior Geological Survey of India (GSI) warnings and implement recommended safety measures led to the tragedy.

The NGO released a report about the landslide and said that the midnight landslide along the Mettupalayam Coonoor National Highway (NH181) buried a State Transport Corporation bus that had stopped due to a mechanical breakdown. The incident claimed the life of the driver, Kanagaraj, while conductor Kesavan sustained severe injuries.

The NGO said that the GSI had earlier identified a 5-km stretch of NH181 near Burliyar as a high risk landslide zone (Sector 5) in its Rainfall Induced Landslide Forecast Bulletin and hazard management maps. The report had also highlighted several structural vulnerabilities that could trigger landslides during heavy rainfall.

The identified risks included over cut slopes without adequate support systems, soil erosion caused by nearby streams, wedge failures, road cracks and blocked or damaged culverts that obstructed the natural flow of rainwater. The GSI had recommended several preventive measures, including wire mesh and shotcrete protection, rock bolts and anchors, boulder-catching nets, concrete viaducts and cut-and-cover structures. It had also called for clearing blocked culverts, constructing toe drainage systems and building additional retaining walls.

However, Poovulagin Nanbargal alleged that none of these critical measures had been implemented at the accident site, citing Google Street View images from September 2026 as evidence of the lack of preventive works. It questioned whether the NHAI and district administration had received the GSI recommendations and what action had been taken subsequently. It also sought clarity on whether the stretch had been included in the District Disaster Management Plan as a landslide prone area and whether traffic restrictions were enforced during heavy rainfall.

Seeking accountability, it demanded that the findings of the official inquiry be made public and called for adequate compensation for the affected families.

Pointing out that similar GSI studies had identified vulnerable locations across The Nilgiris and Kodaikanal, the organisation urged the State government to integrate daily landslide forecasts into the TN-Alert application and immediately undertake safety works along vulnerable hill roads.