Delay in road restoration at Malana in Kullu district irks residents
Dipender Manta
Mandi, July 21
A road at Malana in Kullu district, which was damaged due to a flash flood in the hydel power project area on July 6, is yet to be restored. The “slow pace” of road construction work has left the locals infuriated as they are being forced to walk almost 5 km to reach the nearest road to avail of transport services.
Residents say that even after nearly two weeks, the authorities concerned are yet to complete the work. “What if a medical emergency situation arises? There is no motorable road for ferrying Malana patients to hospitals,” they say.
Bring it under PWD
The Dunkhra-Malana stretch should be brought under the PWD so that adequate funds can be allocated for road maintenance. —Sunder Singh Thakur, Kullu Sadar MLA
Work on war footing
The flash flood had caused considerable damage to the road. The work is going on a war footing and the road will be restored soon. —Ashutosh Garg, Kullu Deputy Commissioner
Hari Ram, a Malana resident, said: “We have no transport facility here since July 6. People, who are getting their houses constructed or engaged in other works, can’t take construction material to the site due to the damaged road.”
Gram pradhan Raju Ram said the district administration, a few days ago, had to engage porters to supply ration to Malana. “Currently, there is sufficient ration stock in Malana, but the delay in restoration of the road has inconvenienced the residents, especially in case of medical emergency,” he said.
According to Ram, to reach the nearby hospital in Kullu, one has to trek around 5 km to reach the nearest road to board transportation facility.
KK Sharma, Superintendent Engineer, Public Works Department, Kullu, said the road fell under the Malana project authorities so it was their responsibility to restore it.
Kullu Sadar MLA Sunder Singh Thakur blamed the power project authorities for the slow pace of the restoration work. He urged the state government to bring the entire stretch from Dunkhra to Malana under the PWD so that adequate funds could be allocated for road maintenance.
Kullu Deputy Commissioner Ashutosh Garg said the flash flood had caused considerable damage to the road near the Malana power project and a portion of the stretch got washed away. “The road restoration work has been going on a war footing. It will be restored in a few days,” he added.
