Malana residents plan to build helipad

Abhinav Vashisht

Kullu, August 7

With the road link snapped, residents of Malana village have started building a helipad so that ration could be transported by a helicopter. The road from Jari village to the nearest motorable point near Malana had suffered extensive damages at five spots due to a cloudburst.

It has become difficult for the district administration to get essential supplies delivered to the village. Some tourists who were stuck in the village were rescued on Monday by a team of the administration. Kullu Zila Parishad chairman Pankaj Parmar, along with his team, reached the village via the Chanderkhani trek route with supply of diesel and medicines.

Sensing that it might take a long time to restore the road connectivity, the villagers got a survey done for the helipad through the administration. Around 300 villagers gathered today and started construction of the helipad under the guidance of experts.

Malana panchayat vice-president Ramji Thakur said a local fair was also coming up and various devotees from the region will come to the village. He added that a heli-taxi service will also be helpful in case of medical emergencies.

Known as the oldest democracy, Malana village, having a population of 2,800, is located at an altitude of 9,842 feet and is not connected by road. The bridge over the Malana nullah, connecting the nearest motorable approach to the village, was washed away due to flash-flood after the cloudburst followed by the bursting of a barrage of a hydel project on July 31. Residents themselves erected a makeshift wooden footbridge on Monday.

Last year, the residents had urged the government that the village should be connected by a ropeway from Sariyara Shahu to Dhar. They added that a ropeway would be very beneficial to elderly and patients and will facilitate the villagers, besides promoting tourism. After the installation of the ropeway, the residents of Malana will have the facility to travel easily from home to market during snowfall and rain. The then CM Jai Ram Thakur had announced Rs 1 crore for a road to the village, but the villagers had opposed the move, citing the orders of their deity Jamlu Devta (Jamadagni Rishi).