D'sala hotels to face action for building bylaws violation

MC sends notices to hoteliers on Upper Bhagsu residents’ complaints

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, September 23

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

Sources say that people residing in the Upper Bhagsu area have complained to the MC that multi-storey hotels have been constructed near their houses in violation of the 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 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”.

The Mayor said that action was being taken in all cases where the MC had received complaints regarding the violation of the building bylaws.

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

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