Bumpy roads in Kullu, Mandi have apple orchardists worried

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, July 16

Apple orchardists are worried over the transportation of their produce to distant markets because of the poor condition of roads in Kullu and Mandi districts.

Vast tracts of land in Kullu and Mandi are under apple cultivation, which is the sole source of livelihood for the residents of both districts. The orchardists are apprehensive of facing difficulties in transporting their horticulture produce to distant markets in time due to the poor condition of link roads and the highways.

In Kullu district, apple is grown in Manali, Banjar, Khrahal valley and Ani Nirmand. The roads in these areas are in a poor condition. The Pagal Nullah stretch on the Kullu-Sainj road has been a cause for concern for the residents of the Sainj valley for the past several years.

Naresh Kumar of Banjar valley says that many link roads in Banjar subdivision of Kullu district are not metalled. During the rainy season, the situation worsens as driving loaded vehicles on the stretch, which becomes muddy.

Rajiv Kimta, an apple orchardists in Kullu, says that the link road from Kaisdhar to Kullu is in a bad shape. Besides, the Kullu-Nagar road and the Nagar-Jana road are full of potholes at several points.

He says that the Chandigarh-Manali highway is also not in a good shape, which hinders transportation of apple produce to distant markets in time. This highway is in a bad condition from Bhunter in Kullu up to Sundernagar in Mandi due to ongoing the widening work. The poor condition of the highway is also impacting tourism in Kullu and Manali.

Similarly in Mandi district, the Ani-Karsog road is full of potholes at several places. The Baryogi to Kakradhar link road in the Seraj Assembly segment is bumpy. The orchardists of the area have urged the PWD to undertake maintenance work to make it worthy of smooth traffic. In Mandi district, the Seraj valley and the Karsog valley are popular for apple production.

Vast tracks in poor shape

• Vast tracts of land in Kullu and Mandi are under apple cultivation, which is the sole source of livelihood for the residents of both districts. The orchardists are apprehensive of facing difficulties in transporting their horticulture produce to distant markets in time due to the poor condition of link roads and the highways.
• In Kullu district, apple is grown in Manali, Banjar, Khrahal valley and Ani Nirmand. The roads in these areas are in a poor condition. The Pagal Nullah stretch on the Kullu-Sainj road has been a cause for concern for the residents of the Sainj valley for the past several years.