Tardy work on Sadhupul irks hoteliers

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, July 23

With the crucial bridge at Sadhupul providing connectivity to the popular tourist place of Chail yet to be completed despite a lapse of two years, hoteliers are having anxious moments. They have threatened to sit on a dharna if the work on the bridge was not resumed.

The old bridge had collapsed in August 2014 and a temporary structure had been created for vehicular traffic. The absence of a proper bridge was acting as a deterrent for the tourists to visit Chail, resulting in a steep decline in the number of tourists visiting Chail.

Devinder Verma, president, Chail Hoteliers Association, said it was unfortunate that the work to construct the new bridge was going on at a snail’s pace. Now it has come to a standstill. He said the hoteliers were keenly awaiting completion of this bridge as a sharp decline has already been witnessed in the tourist inflow ever since the old bridge collapsed nearly two years ago. Further delay would lead to more losses.

He said though the local MLA and Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment DR Shandil had recently announced that the bridge would soon be constructed but all the construction activity by the PWD had come to a halt. He said the association had decided to proceed on a dharna if the work on the bridge was not re-started soon as they continued to incur losses because the bridge was not functional.

The agrarian community too was facing problems in transporting their goods to the mandis. They had to pay double the cost. The collapse of the bridge has affected the residents of 20 to 25 panchayats, including Chail, Koti, Junga, Kufri, etc, who were dependent on floriculture, agriculture, horticulture and several small business ventures in the areas.

Verma said they had requested the administration to intervene in this matter at the earliest and ensure early completion of this bridge failing which they would be forced to sit on a dharna.