Jogindernagar : 4-lane Sangharsh Samiti threatens to boycott Lok Sabha poll

Our Correspondent

Palampur, March 11

During a meeting of the Four-lane Sangharsh Samiti at Jogindernagar yesterday, members of the samiti threatened to boycott the ensuing Lok Sabha elections if the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) failed to review its decision of changing the alignment of the Pathankot-Mandi highway that passes the town.

Residents of Jogindernagar, Chauntra, Gumma, Harabhag and Urla participated in the samiti’s meeting.

Last year, the NHAI had changed the alignment of a 70-km stretch of the Pathankot-Mandi four-lane project between Paror and Padhar, bypassing important towns like Palampur, Maranda, Baijnath and Jogindernagar. While, there has not been much opposition to the NHAI’s decision in Palampur, the residents of Baijnath and Jogindernagar tehsils have taken to the roads to express their discontentment.

Information gathered by The Tribune revealed that under the NHAI’s new proposal, the old highway would not be used, instead new four lanes would be developed five to six km away from these towns. This new decision is also the root cause of the widespread resentment.

Earlier, it had been decided that the NHAI would use the old highway and also construct bypasses for Baijnath, Paprola and Jogindernagar. According to the present scheme of things, commuters would have to continue using the old stretch of the Pathankot-Mandi highway, which is not only narrow but also an accident-prone area.

Brij Gopal Awasthi, president, Four-lane Sangharsh Samiti, said the decision to change the alignment of the highway had come as a major setback to residents of Jogindernagar, Chauntra, Baijnath and Paprola. He said the NHAI must review its decision and just widen the existing stretch of the highway.

Ashwani Kumar, Romesh Chand, Vijay Kumar, Tilak Raj, Suresh Chand, among other residents of Jogindernagar, said their town would suffer if the decision to change the alignment of the highway went through. People were expecting the construction of a new bypass, as planned in the original layout, which would mean development. Besides, the new alignment would also adversely affect business in the area.

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