D'sala hoteliers to face action for building bylaws violation

MC sends notices on Upper Bhagsu residents’ plaints

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 27

The Dharamsala Municipal Corporation (MC) has decided to act against hotels in the Upper Bhagsu area for the violation of building bylaws and send them notices.

Sources said that people residing in the area had filed complaints with the MC that multi-storey hotels had been constructed near their houses in violation of building bylaws. Following the complaints, the MC has issued notices to the hotel owners and action is expected against them.

Mayor Onkar Nehria said that the residents of Upper Bhagsu had complained that a new hotel constructed in their area was a threat to their houses. “We have issued a notice to the property owner and action will be taken as per the law,” he added.

Meanwhile, the MC has been accused of being selective in taking action against hotels and commercial properties built in violation of the building bylaws. Naresh Kumar, a resident of Dharamsala, said, “The road leading to the Dalai Lama temple is dotted with several multi-storey hotels built in violation of the building bylaws. However, the MC has not taken action against them, as many of these properties are owned by influential people of the town”.

Sources said that no action had been taken even on complaints filed by government offices regarding illegal buildings in the McLeodganj area. The local office of the Union Ministry of Foreign Affairs that acts as a liaison centre with the Dalai Lama, has often complained regarding illegal hotels having come up around its building.

However, the Mayor denied the allegations and said that action was being taken in all cases.

After the July 12 flash flood, residents of Bhagsunag in Upper Dharamsala have become sensitive towards illegal constructions in their area. They want the MC to act against such builders and property owners. The MC has already removed encroachments from natural drains, which reportedly caused the flash flood in Bhagsunag.