Roads in Kangra town lie in bad condition

Our Correspondent

Kangra, May 11

Road infrastructure in Kangra town is in bad condition and the authorities are playing mute spectators to the inconvenience being caused to commuters. Besides, heaps of garbage have also become quite a nuisance for them.

Tilak Raj Soni, member, Haled Kalan Panchayat, where National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) is located, said the road leading to NIFT was awfully bad and seemed to be a blot on the institute where 600 students from all over the country were studying and 60 faculty and other staff members used the road daily. He said the road had been in bad shape for the last few years.

Prof S Bala Sidartha, Director, NIFT, said this road connecting with Jayanti Vihar was under the jurisdiction of the PWD Department. He said parents of students carried bad impression in their minds of the Kangra valley and its administration because of this ignored road.

He said the water from drainage systems could be seen flowing froon the road and a bad smell pervaded the area. The faulty drainage system had damaged road, but there seemed to be none to take care of it.

He said he had approached Kangra SDM Aditya Negi and the Public Welfare Department authorities, but to no avail.

Dr Ashok Kumar, general secretary, Vivekananda Vihar Development Committee, said the road to the locality, popularly known as Bhatta road, was in a deplorable condition with the PWD authorities remaining a mute spectator to commuters’ agony despite repeated requests to the JE and SDO concerned.

He said the work on the road was left midway despite funds were sanctioned and the work was awarded.

Executive Engineer, PWD, SP Jagrota said work on the NIFT road was delayed because a sewerage line was to be laid by the IPH Department and would be taken care of after its completion. As regards the Bhatta road, he said he would inspect the road personally so that work left halfway could be restarted.