Dharamsala Ward Watch Sidhbari: Illegal constructions, lack of parking lots irk locals

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, April 27

The lack of adequate public parking, increased illegal constructions and shortage of drinking water are the major problems that trouble the residents of Ward 17, Sidhbari, in Dharamsala.

Anil Sharma, a Sidhbari resident, said a large number of shops, commercial complexes, restaurants and hotels were coming up in the area, but there was no dedicated public parking facility. This was leading to traffic jams in the area especially on the Dharamsala-Palampur road.

He further said people who are opening new shops and restaurants in the area also don’t provide parking facility and customers are forced to park their vehicles on the road, which leads to traffic jams. No traffic cops in the Sidhbari area to manage traffic add to commuters’ woes, he said.

Tarun Chopra, another local, said many areas of the ward do not get adequate drinking water supply. People are still using hand pumps. Sidhbari was made a part of Dharamsala Smart City Project in 2015. However, the residents are yet to receive the Smart City facilities.

“Unauthorised constructions are mushrooming in the ward. Encroachment on streets and roads through illegal constructions is going on unabated. Despite heavy floods in the state last year, the authorities have not taken any strict action in this regard,” said Varun Sharma, a local.

He said at certain places, the width of streets has been reduced to such an extent that even commuting has become difficult. The MC authorities should take steps to check the problem, he said.

Residents of the area also complained about lack of streetlights and sewerage system in many areas of the ward.

People residing in areas that have been merged into the ward rued that the benefits of the Smart City project did not percolate to them. They alleged that after the merger, they lost the privileges of rural areas and didn’t get any urban facilities in the past eight years.

The residents of Sidhbari also complained about non-availability of sweepers and door-to-door collection of garbage in many areas of the ward.

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