Driving perilous on Rohru-Kwar road
Bhanu P Lohumi
Tribune News Service
Shimla, November 13
The endeavour of the state government to project Dodra-Kwar as a major tourist destination and develop ski slopes at Chansel in Rohroo subdivision of Shimla district notwithstanding, the Rohru-Chirgaon-Kwar unmetalled road is in a terrible condition and driving on it is not only perilous but also time consuming.
The draft proposal for constructing the 92-km road was prepared in 2006 and finally approved in 2009 to connect the inaccessible Kwar area but the road is still unmetalled, causing great hardships to commuters and local people.
Locals feel that this road could throw open fresh opportunities for the people as the area has great tourism potential and proper road connectivity would open the doors to the most unexplored area of the state.
Road divided into 5 stretches for construction
- The draft proposal for constructing the 92-km Rohru to Kwar road was prepared in 2006 and finally approved in 2009 but it is still unmetalled
- The road was divided into five stretches for construction and a proposal of Rs35 crore from Rohru to Tikri has been sent for nod
- The road from Tikri to Lorat was constructed in 2015 under NABARD
- Work has started on the Lorat- Chansel stretch
- The work was awarded from Chansel- Dodra and Dodra-Kwar stretches but no progress has been made so far
The work had started on some patches. Though the road from Tikri to Lorat had been completed, its condition is horrible. The locals have reported the matter on the CM helpline, says Bipin Negi, a resident of Shiladesh, last village of Chansel.
A cloud of dust hangs over the orchards and houses en route. The road becomes slippery and accident prone during the rains. Instances of apple-laden trucks struck on route for days together, resulting in fruits rotting midway during transportation is a common sight, says another orchardist Dipender.
The Lorat- Kwar stretch of the road is full of potholes and dusty patches. Presence of boulders makes it even worse than a kachha link road in the interior areas. The condition of the stretch is so bad that it takes around 6-7 hours to cover the stretch.
The road from Rohru to Kwar was divided in five stretches for road construction and a proposal of Rs 35 crores from Rohru to Tikri has been sent for approval. The road from Tikri to Lorat was constructed in 2015 under NABARD while work has started on the Lorat- Chansel stretch. The work was awarded from Chansel- Dodra and Dodra-Kwar stretches but no progress has been made so far. Penalty has been imposed on the contractor for delay in the execution of work, said Executive Engineer Rohru, Pawan Garg, who is also holding the charge of Dodra Kwar.
Limited working season due to tough topography, hostile weather conditions is responsible for slow pace of work on the stretch as it is not possible to start construction on the road for eight months due to snowfall and apple season, he added.
