This broken, potholed Kasauli road says it all

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, September 2

With the ownership of a stretch of 19.28 acres in Kasauli still lying with the Punjab Government in papers, no agency is coming forward to repair a small road beneath the telephone exchange till Government Senior Secondary School.

Kasauli was part of Punjab prior to 1966 and after implementation of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, all territories lying in various bordering areas had been transferred to Himachal.

Likewise properties owned by the Punjab Government in Kasauli too were brought under the state government. A patch of 19.28 acres, which also includes a road lying below the telephone exchange has failed to be transferred in the revenue records of the state. Though several other buildings, owned by the Punjab Government, have now been brought under the control of the state government and are repaired, this road failed to attract the attention of the authorities.

It is a B2 land which, according to cantonment board norms, is owned by the state government.

Krishnamurthy, a former member of the board , who has been following the case of getting this road repaired from various authorities, said he had failed to get any response from any authority. A representation was made to the PWD, Cantonment Board, Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment as well as the Chief Minister. This road leads to Government Senior Secondary School and connects the town with Mashobra and also leads to the cremation ground.

The General Land Register of this record, procured by Krishnamurthy from the Cantonment Board, Kasauli, still mentions the Punjab Government as the holder of occupancy rights over the stretch of 19.28 acres. It also mentions that the road was earlier maintained by the state PWD whereas PWD officials have claimed that they had no authentic record of the road falling under their jurisdiction as it is adjoining to the Cantonment Board.

Though board officials had requested the PWD to repair the road, no department came forward to repair it. A visit to the spot revealed that in the absence of timely repair, the road has been reduced to a mound of boulders. Gaping potholes and waste lying strewn over it has made walking an arduous task.

The road also connected to the main market and was used by a large number of people on a daily basis.

Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Kanwar said he had directed the Kasauli Tehsildar, PWD, and Forest staff to repair it as it connected the school and some funds too had been sanctioned for it. He said he would look into the issue and ensure that it was repaired.