Need to approach Supreme Court to protect state’s interests from outside agencies

Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Vikramaditya Singh today said that a mechanism should be devised to protect the interests of Himachal and its people in areas where outside agencies like the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) were working.

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He said that it was unfortunate that Himachal had to seek permission for undertaking various works from outside agencies executing projects here. He was responding to Jwalamukhi MLA Sanjay Rattan’s question in the Vidhan Sabha that people were facing inconvenience and the access to their houses was blocked due to the work to widen roads to four lanes being done by the NHAI.

“I am of a firm view that a mechanism must be devised to ensure that local people do not face inconvenience when the NHAI or any other outside agency is executing projects. I will take up the matter with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and even if we have to approach the Supreme Court over the issue, we must do it,” he added.

Vikramaditya said that agencies like the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) had the highest land pool in Himachal. “Earlier, local people had faced inconvenience when the work to widen the Shimla-Kalka and Kiratpur-Mandi-Manali roads to four lanes was underway,” he added. The NHAI had damaged 14 roads for which they had sought compensation from it, he claimed.

The minister said that the government had to seek permission from outside agencies working in Himachal even for the smallest of things. “I feel sad that when the state is ours, water, land and resources are ours, why we have to take permission from these agencies while our people continue to face inconvenience,” he added.

He assured the House that he would take up the matter with the Chief Minister. “The Deputy Commissioners concerned should play a proactive role so that the public does not face inconvenience,” he added.

The Jwalamukhi MLA said, “The NHAI must be directed to provide access to people as there are no service lanes and villagers are finding it difficult to commute. Ambulances cannot ply and people do not have enough space to even walk to their houses due to the work being undertaken on the Shimla-Mataur four-lane road by the NHAI at Dehraina panchayat in my constituency.”

NHAI ‘damaged’ roads

I feel sad that when the state is ours, water, land and resources are ours, why we have to take permission from outside agencies. The NHAI has damaged 14 roads for which we have sought compensation from it.

Vikramaditya Singh, PWD Minister