Kangra residents oppose police station at old site

Our Correspondent

Kangra, January 31

Resentment prevails among residents of this temple town against the government decision to reconstruct the new police station building at the same location in the heart of the town where it was constructed more than a century ago.

Kangra First, an NGO, launched a signature campaign against the government decision on Tuesday and the drive entered third day on Thursday. The NGO demanded that the new police station building should be constructed either in the SDM office complex or in the old SDM office complex where land was available.

NGO spokesman Viney Gupta said that the land where the police station existed was located in the main market and all pilgrims visiting the Bajjreshwari temple have to pass through the main market. He demanded that this precious piece of land should be used for the construction of a tourists reception centre, a hotel of the Tourism Department, a community hall and other facilities for the visiting pilgrims.

The century-old police station building had lived its life and the police station had been shifted to a ‘sarai’ near Virbhdra temple at Gupt Ganga. The resentment among the residents resulted in a signature campaign. The town is devoid of any tourist reception centre despite the fact that lakhs of pilgrims besides, national and international tourists visit the famous Kangra Fort and Bajjreshwari temple in the town.

Gupta said that visiting pilgrims also joined the signature campaign.