Kotla residents walk miles as buses skip town

The recent opening of twin tunnels near Kotla town by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has unexpectedly turned into a major inconvenience for daily commuters. Though the tunnels were intended to ease long-standing traffic congestion, they have instead caused significant hardship for residents and visitors, as both private and Himachal Road Transport Corporation (HRTC) buses are now bypassing Kotla town entirely.

These buses, instead of entering the town as per their approved routes, are stopping on the highway just before entering the tunnels and dropping passengers off at non-designated locations. This sudden shift in route has left commuters—particularly women, children, and the elderly—struggling to walk 1.5 to 2 kilometers from the tunnel area to reach the town. Kotla, a hub for shopping, medical facilities, government services, and religious visits to the revered Baglamukhi temple, is now effectively disconnected from its daily visitors.

The problem has stirred widespread resentment. Commuters traveling from both directions—Kangra, Dharamsala, Shahpur on one side, and Nurpur, Pathankot, Jassur on the other—are all facing difficulties. The lack of any designated stop near the tunnels further adds to the chaos.

Amit Kumar, a local resident, recently missed his Jammu-Rampur HRTC bus because it bypassed the town, forcing him to hire a taxi to Shahpur to catch it. Similarly, Rakesh Kumar, a milk vendor from Rajol village, who used to rely on the same bus, has been left without convenient transport.

The tunnels, constructed at a combined cost of nearly ?290 crore, include a 720-meter stretch at Kotla and a 450-metre stretch at Jungle-Khas. While they serve their intended purpose of improving long-distance traffic flow, their misuse by public transport is now affecting the everyday lives of locals.

Arvind Kumar, president of the Kotla Vyapar Mandal, and Yog Raj Mehra, former panchayat pradhan, have urged the local administration and HRTC authorities to ensure that all buses stop inside Kotla before entering the tunnels. An official from HRTC’s Pathankot depot confirmed that bypassing the town violates operational rules and assured that action will be taken if such cases continue.