Bajjreshwari Ghat still unoperational

Ashok Raina

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KANGRA, NOVEMBER 22

Resentment prevails among local residents, pilgrims and devotees, who visit Bajjreshwari temple here over the failure of the authorities to make Bajjreshwari Ghat near old Kangra, constructed at a cost of Rs 14.35 lakhs in 1998, operational even after the lapse of two decades.

The Bajjreshwari Temple Trust had constructed the bathing ghat for the pilgrims on Banner Khad in 1998. But the idea remained a distant dream. Adjacent to the Bajjreshwari Ghat is the “killer point” where more than 100 pilgrims have drowned during the last 14 years. Residents rue that had the ghat been made operational, these deaths could have been avoided.

In the beginning, a sum of Rs 12.50 lakh was spent on the construction of the ghat. Later on, another amount of Rs 1.85 lakh was spent on it. The ghat, however, could not be made operational.

A contractor kept his construction material on the ghat for nearly six years. Sub Divisional authorities got the area vacated by the contractor in 2014 after notices were served on him under Public Premises Act.

Temple officer Surinder Dhiman revealed that despite that Rs 14.35 lakh was spent on the project the land had not been transferred in the name of the temple trust.

The DC got a toilet block constructed near ghat through BDO at a cost of Rs. 1.32 lakhs which was never used. Kangra residents have demanded a probe into in the issue and said that the guilty be punished.