4 yrs on, bus service yet to start on Durana-Ghatnalu link road

Following persistent public demand, 15-km Durana-Padhar-Ghatnalu link road in neighbouring Jawali Assembly constituency of Kangra district was built by the Public Works Department (PWD) four years ago by spending crores. So far, people in the rural area have not been provided any public transport facility by the government for this road. A lot of resentment is brewing among residents of 10 gram panchayats of Jawali and adjoining Shahpur sub-divisions in Kangra district over lack of public transport.

Commuters of these panchayats have to take a shortest route to go to Shahpur, district headquarters in Dharamsala and Tanda Medical College, Kangra. Students can benefit from this link road if the government provides bus service for commuting daily to the ITI, Shahpur, Engineering College, Nagrota Bagwan, Government College, Dharamsala, and the Central University.

Till now, neither the Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) nor any private bus operator has started passenger transport service on this route. Residents say the primary objective after the construction of this link road has not been achieved. The PWD has successfully conducted testing of the road and declared it fit for bus service.

Manohar Sharma, Executive Engineer, PWD, Jawali, said this 15-km road was built in two phases. He said, “In the first phase, 11 km stretch has been constructed through the NABARD scheme and in the second phase, 4 km road through the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMYGS). An amount of Rs 5 crore has been spent under the NABARD scheme and Rs 3 crore under the PMYGS for the construction of this link road.”

Sadhu Ram Rana, former block development committee member and up pradhan of Dol-Bhatehad gram panchayat, Tilak Jamwal, pradhan, Harchkaian panchayat, Manjeet Guleria, pradhan, Lapian panchayat, Veena Deve, pradhan, Padhar panchayat, and Tripta Devi of Jol panchayat have appealed to Transport Minister-cum-Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri to direct the HRTC management to start bus service on this link road.