Akhara Bazaar-Math road in pitiable state, residents fume

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, November 16

The road to the Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee (APMC), Kullu, and Lahaul and Spiti in the Akhara Bazaar area of the town is in a pitiable condition. The road further connects to the Akhara Bazaar–Math road and a large number of people commute through it.

Local residents Anshul, Akash along with others say that neither the Kullu Municipal Council, nor the APMC or the Public Works Department (PWD) is taking the responsibility of maintaining the road.

Kubja Thakur, Councillor of Ward number 2, says that the road falls in Ward number 3, whose Councillor Ushmaj Sharma claims that as the APMC is situated in Ward number 2, the road beyond Kullu Medical Centre also falls in that ward.

Ushmaj says that only some portion of the road falls in Ward number 3 and it will take time to repair it by following proper procedure. She adds that heavy vehicles of the APMC damage the road and hence the committee should take care of the maintenance work.

She says that it was decided in the meeting of the MC House that the PWD would take care of the maintenance of the road, as it further connects to the Math road, which is looked after by the department.

Sushil Guleria, secretary of the Kullu and Lahaul and Spiti APMC, says the PWD repaired the road about three years ago. After the Kullu MC constructed a drain under the AMRUT scheme, the road was rendered kucha again.

He says that this year as well, the APMC approached the district administration during the fruit season for the maintenance of the road. He adds that heavy vehicles of many local traders also ply on the road and hence the road does not come under the jurisdiction of the APMC.