Rs 4.5 cr spent, but McLeodganj cultural centre non-functional

Tribune News Service

Lalit Mohan

Dharamsala, September 24

The cultural centre set up on the Bhagsu hotel premises of the Himachal Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (HPTDC) at McLeodganj seems to have become an example of misuse of public money by the authorities concerned.

The cultural centre was brought up by utilising funds provided under an Asian Development Bank (ADB) project. It was supposed to provide a place for holding cultural programmes and conventions. The building was completed and handed over to the HPTDC in 2021. A sum of around Rs 4.5 crore was spent on the construction of the centre. However, the building has not been put to use even for a single day so far.

Sources said the building could not be utilised due to leaking roofs and the damage caused to other infrastructure. Although the quality of construction is under question, full payment has been made to the executing agency. The centre was reportedly brought up without getting any map approved from the Dharamsala Municipal Corporation due to which power and water connections could not be sanctioned for the centre.

District Tourism Officer Vinay Dhiman said the property was handed over to the HPTDC by the Tourism Department in 2021. It was brought to his notice this year that the water and power connections had not been sanctioned for the building as its map was not approved by the Dharamsala MC, he added.

“After directions from the Chief Minister, I intervened in the matter. I have now got the completion certificate from the Dharamsala MC. The process for getting water and power connections for the building has been initiated,” he said.

When asked about the leaking roofs, he said poly-fibre sheets had been used for the purpose. “It seems the people who designed the project did not take into consideration the monkey menace in the area. The poly-fibre sheets used in the building roof have been damaged by langurs due to which it has started leaking at several places. The engineering wing of the Tourism Department has sought Rs 27 lakh for replacing the damaged poly-fibre sheets with iron sheets,” he said.

Meanwhile, a demand has been raised for a probe into the poor execution and planning of the ADB-funded projects. Most of such projects brought up in the district have become loss-making propositions for the Tourism Department.

HPTDC Chairman RS Bali said he had received reports as regards poor planning and execution of ADB projects during the stint of the previous BJP government. Inquiries would be held and those responsible for wasting public money would be held accountable, he added.

Leakage in roof

It seems the people who designed the project did not take into consideration the monkey menace. The poly-fibre sheets used in the roof have been damaged by langurs due to which it has started leaking at several places. Vinay Dhiman, district tourism officer

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