Shimla Orchard Owner Receives Major Relief with Rs 1 Crore After Devastating Landslide

The National Highways Authority of India has agreed to pay Rs 1.80 crore in compensation to a Shimla-based orchard owner after initially describing landslide-related damage to his land and apple trees as an “act of god.” The compensation follows a dispute linked to a highway expansion project near Dhalli in Himachal Pradesh’s capital region.

Orchard owner Narinder Singh Rathore said he decided to withdraw his case from the National Green Tribunal after the NHAI agreed to compensate him for losses caused by landslides that allegedly damaged his orchard during heavy rains in May 2025. Rathore had approached the tribunal seeking relief for the destruction of nearly 440 apple trees and severe damage to agricultural land.

According to officials, the orchard suffered extensive damage during intense rainfall in the region, with Rathore alleging that slope-cutting and construction activities linked to the NHAI’s four-laning highway project contributed to the landslides. In an affidavit submitted earlier this month, the NHAI had argued that the destruction was the result of extraordinary natural conditions and therefore qualified as an “act of god,” denying direct responsibility for the losses.

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However, following assessments conducted by the public works and horticulture departments, the authority revised its position and agreed to provide compensation to the affected family. Officials said the compensation package includes the purchase of approximately 1.5 bighas of land that was heavily damaged by debris, in addition to payment for the destruction caused to apple trees in the orchard.

Rathore criticised the earlier stance taken by the highway authority, stating that his family had cultivated fruits in the region for generations and suggesting that major hill-cutting activities for tunnels, highways and four-lane road projects had worsened the environmental risks in the area. The dispute also highlighted disagreements over the extent of the damage, with the horticulture department estimating losses of around Rs 40 lakh for damaged apple trees, while the NHAI earlier contended that only about 40 trees had actually been affected.

The authority had previously cited data from the India Meteorological Department showing that Shimla received significantly above-normal rainfall during the period in question. Using that data, the NHAI had argued before the tribunal that the landslides were caused by exceptional weather conditions beyond its control. The eventual settlement, however, marks a significant shift in the authority’s position and brings temporary closure to a dispute that had raised broader concerns about environmental risks linked to infrastructure development in Himachal Pradesh.

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