No road link to Dhar village, protesting villagers stop train

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 25

The residents of Dhar village in Kangra district today held a protest and stopped narrow gauge train heading to Jogindernagar from Pathankot at Lunsu railway for about an hour. The villagers alleged that since independence no road had been constructed to their village and the only mode of transportation out of the village was the narrow gauge railway constructed by the British in 1929.

They alleged during the elections, leaders of both the Congress and BJP came for votes and promised to construct a road to their village. However, after elections they forget the promise, they said.

Nitin Thakur, pradhan of the village, said the area was represented by big leaders like Viplove Thakur, the Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member and Anurag Thakur, the BJP MP. However, even these leaders had failed to ensure a road to their village.

The protesters, including children, were seen holding placards in their hands demanding road and proper water supply to their village.

The villagers said they had submitted a memorandum to the Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) at Dehra giving him an ultimatum to start work on the road which was announced 30 years back.

“We are awaiting a road for several years. About 47 families were forced to leave this village. The villagers approached the administration to start work. They submitted a memorandum but nothing was done. Now, natives of this area have been forced to choose last option of protest”, the pradhan of the village said.

This village is located about 50 km from the district headquarters at Dharamsala.

Thakur said he had a list of people who had migrated from here.

“Ambulance can’t reach our village. We still have palanquin (palki) system to take patients to hospitals” said Meena Kumar, a resident of the village in protest.

No one from the administration reached the spot to listen to their grievances. The villagers allowed the train to leave after police officials reached the protest venue.

It was on February 8 that the villagers had approached Dhanveer Thakur, SDM, Dehra, to start the work of the road giving him a 15-day ultimatum. But officials have cited issues related to forest clearances.

The protesters said that this was symbolic protest. “If the work for the road did not start by March 15 we will be forced to take a bigger step”, they said.

The people of Dhanghad village had also joined the protest. Residents said they had to walk up to 10 to 12 km for all basic requirements.