Dharampur bus stand suffers heavy damage, invites criticism over location

The Dharampur bus stand in Mandi district suffered heavy damage once again after heavy rain lashed the region on Monday night. The incident raised fresh concerns over its long-debated location. This is the second time the bus stand had been badly damaged, the first was in 2015 when it was inundated by floodwaters, causing significant damage to Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses and infrastructure.

The bus stand, constructed near a riverside at a cost of Rs 2.50 crore, has been facing criticism since it was constructed. Its location was approved during the tenure of Mahender Singh Thakur, the then PWD Minister in the BJP government, who also represented the Dharampur Assembly constituency at that time.

Following the 2015 incident, the then Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had ordered an inquiry into the flooding. On August 8, 2015, Mandi Divisional Commissioner Davesh Kumar was tasked with investigating the circumstances that led to the damage. His report squarely blamed those responsible for selecting and approving the site for the construction of the bus stand.

Local residents and leaders have started criticising the bus stand location in the light of the recent damage. Former District Council member Bhupender Singh reiterated that the site selection was flawed from the beginning. “We had opposed the decision to build the bus stand at this location back then. Today’s damage once again proves that the concerns raised were valid. With climate patterns becoming increasingly unpredictable, such rain-related disasters could happen again. It is high time the government shifts the bus stand to a safer location to protect public infrastructure,” he added.

Transport services in the region have been disrupted and the HRTC is assessing the extent of damage to its buses.