Palampur, Baijnath roads need immediate repairs

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, October 10

The condition of most of the roads in Palampur, Jaisinghpur and Baijnath, particularly in rural areas, in Kangra district has worsened over the past one year in the absence of proper repair and maintenance. Despite repeated complaints to the PWD, no steps have been initiated to repair the roads.

A number of internal roads are in a bad condition. The tourist season is about to begin, but the SSB Chowk-Neugal Cafe, Ghuggar-Nala Mandir, Paprola-Rakkar-Mehjarana, Palampur-Hamirpur and Paror-Dheera roads, which have developed deep potholes, are yet to be repaired. In many areas, local residents have held protests over the poor condition of roads, but to no avail.

Sanjay Awasthi of Patti says they have written several letters to the Chief Minister’s Office and the PWD, but none has bothered to repair the roads over the past two years. Many roads in Jaisinghpur, Thural, Khera, Baijnath and Panchrukhi turned into drains after the rainy season and their upper layer has eroded.

The PWD is reeling under a severe financial crisis and there is no budget allocation for the repair and maintenance of roads. In the absence of funds, no tender has been invited for the repair work so far.

In many divisions, contractors have not received payments for the maintenance work executed last year. Hence, no contractor is ready to take up the repair work.

There is resentment among the residents of Aima, Nala Mandir, Differepatt and other areas of Palampur over the poor condition of roads. They have threatened to launch an agitation if the PWD or the local municipal corporation fails to repair the roads.

Vaneet Sharma, Executive Engineer, PWD, Palampur, says the Differepatt road will be repaired soon. The road was damaged during the rainy season and the department is aware of the situation, he adds.