Plying of luxury buses a risky affair at Garkhal junction

Ambika Sharma

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Solan, May 20

Super-deluxe tourist buses coming to Kasauli have become a cause for concern to residents at the Garkhal junction where low-hanging power wires often touch their roof.

A maze of low-hanging power lines is visible at this junction where five roads converge. The high-seat luxury buses not only struggle to negotiate the narrow roads of this junction but risk getting entangled in the maze of power lines.

A large number of tourist buses, including Volvo, deluxe and super-deluxe buses, come to Kasauli

during this peak tourist season. The wires pose risk even to the residents where power poles have caught fire in the past owing to the lack of maintenance.

The junction has buildings on both sides of the narrow single-lane road and is generally overcrowded with tourist vehicles. Any entanglement due to the overhead power wires with the buses could risk lives.

With no serious thought being given to the hazard or to the construction of a bypass over the junction, residents are forced to live in fear.

“The tourist buses with their roof touching power wires could cause a grave mishap someday. What is even worrisome is the fact that multi-axle buses are sometimes loaded right up to the top,” said Dinesh, a local resident.

These buses are even not parked at the bus stand located at the base of a multi-storey parking due to its low height.

The bus stand-cum-parking was developed at a cost of Rs 19.5 crore by the cantonment board. With no other option available, the tourist buses are parked along the roadside.

These buses are parked at small earmarked parking places, including in the vicinity of the military

hospital or all along the road. Tourists have to trudge long distance to reach the Mall Road causing them discomfort in the searing hot weather.

Another resident Amit said, “Since long, locals have been demanding a Delhi-Kasauli Volvo bus for Kasauli but as there is no parking available in the cantonment town we are unable to get this demand met from the state government. The bus service will benefit residents who often commute to Chandigarh and Delhi for various works.”