Shimla, Dec. 17 -- Leakage from underground water pipelines, coupled with vibrations generated by tunnel construction, was responsible for the sinkhole along the Bhattakufar road in Shimla, the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has concluded in its report. Submitting the same to the Shimla district administration, the GSI recommended that all blasting activities related to tunnel construction be halted while allowing construction work to continue through manual methods. The report states that the sinkhole measuring 2.2 metres in length, 1.5 metres in width and approximately 4 metres in depth appeared along the roadside at Bhattakufar on November 22, prompting the administration to temporarily halt internal excavation work in the area and withdraw the controlled blasting permission. A Class 8 student of a private school fell into a caved-in portion of a road when she was boarding an HRTC bus. The GSI team was examining soil behaviour, tunnel impact and other technical factors. The district administration also inspected the proposed tunnel alignment and other affected sectors before finalising any decisions. The local residents had blamed the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for faulty construction practices and poor planning. They allege that continuous tunnelling and excavation work for the four-laning project has destabilised the hillside. The GSI team, after conducting a detailed field survey, identified leakage from two water pipelines as the primary cause. The report also pointed to human-induced factors, including vibrations from ongoing tunnel construction work, as contributory reasons. Deputy commissioner Anupam Kashyap, who received the report, reiterated that the safety of residents and protection of property remain the administration's highest priority. He noted that several houses located within the tunnel impact zone have developed cracks during the four-lane construction work. "The construction company will prepare a damage assessment report, and the administration will extend all possible assistance to ensure compensation for the affected families," he said. Following the findings, the jal shakti department has carried out immediate repairs to the leaking pipelines. Officials said the leakage occurred near a reducer, which has now been rectified. The department has also been asked to submit a detailed report identifying all underground pipelines in the tunnel-affected area. The deputy commissioner has further directed the tunnel construction company to submit records of surveys conducted at the time construction began in March 2024, along with details of correspondence with the district administration and the steps taken to implement safety-related suggestions....