Chandigarh/Shimla, Sep 7: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday to review the devastation caused by the recent monsoon fury that has left behind widespread destruction in both states.
Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said the Prime Minister is “deeply concerned about the flood situation in Punjab” and will personally assess the ground realities on September 9 to ensure maximum relief. Modi is expected to land in Amritsar after casting his vote in the vice-presidential election in Delhi, where he will hold a review meeting with state ministers and officials. Later, he will travel to Himachal Pradesh.
Punjab has pegged its losses at ₹13,289 crore, with 1,996 villages across 22 districts affected and over 3.8 lakh people hit by floods. Nearly 22,854 people have been rescued, the highest from Gurdaspur, Fazilka and Ferozepur districts. Two central inter-ministerial teams have already visited the state and will soon submit their damage assessment reports.
In Himachal Pradesh, the death toll has crossed 350, with the government estimating losses at ₹3,959 crore. Since June 20, the state has recorded more than 330 landslides, leaving 869 roads blocked, 1,572 power lines snapped and 389 water schemes disrupted. Kullu, Kangra, Mandi and Chamba districts remain the worst affected.
Union Home Ministry teams are currently touring Chamba and Kullu to assess damage, while the Indian Air Force has been deployed for rescue operations during the Manimahesh Yatra. The state government has demanded that the disaster be declared a national calamity and recently passed a resolution in the Assembly.
Welcoming the Prime Minister’s visit, state PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh said, “It is good that PM Modi is coming to Himachal, which he considers his second home.”
