Dharamsala ward watch - Ward No. 16: Illegal parking, erratic water supply anger residents
Lalit Mohan
Dharamsala, February 24
Residents of Ward No. 16 complain of roadside parking, scanty water supply and rising hooliganism in their area. The Sidhbari area also falls under Ward No. 16.
The residents allege in the absence proper parking space, people park their vehicles in front of gates, leading to traffic congestion.
The residents also highlight the issue of hooliganism by many youths under the influence of alcohol or drugs, making unsafe for them to venture out in the dark.
Jyoti Mathur, a resident of the area, said, “Hooligans under the influence of liquor and other intoxicants create ruckus in some areas of the ward. The issue has been reported to the police on a number of occasions, but no action has been taken against them. It has become unsafe for a woman go out at night.”
Another resident Rishav Sharma said, “Parking of vehicles alongside the road has become a routine affair in the ward. During week days, taxi operators park their vehicles on the road till afternoon. It leads to traffic jams in the area. The issue has been taken up with the police many times, but to no avail.”
Sunita Thakur, a local resident, said, “The problem of illegal parking has become severe and it leads to traffic disruption in the area. A few days ago, a person had parked a vehicle in front of my gate. The vehicle remained parked outside the house for hours. I could not take my car out of my house for the whole day. The police should take strict action against those who park their vehicles illegally in the ward.”
Mahesh Chaudhary, a ward resident, said, “Under the Smart City project, the Municipal Corporation authorities were constructing footpaths alongside the roads. At some places in the ward, roads are as narrow as just 10 feet. By constructing footpaths along those roads, the authorities are further narrowing the space for vehicles.”
The residents also complain that during the construction of footpaths, drinking water pipes along the roads were broken, impacting the water supply in their area.
Instead of repairing the damaged water pipes, people are being asked to get the same repaired at their own cost, the residents alleged.
The residents of the ward are also grappling with erratic and less water supply. They say the water is supplied in the area for just one hour. In view of the erratic water supply, they are installing their own hand pumps.
