Rain keeps Dharamsala residents on their toes

Our Correspondent

Dharamsala, August 18

The incessant rain is wreaking havoc in Dharamsala with incidents of damage being reported from different parts of the town.

A protection wall along the main road outside the bus stand collapsed suddenly, leading to a traffic jam on the stretch leading to Gandhi-Nehru Vatika.

Though traffic was restored on the road by removing the muck, experts opined that the way the huge retaining walls were crumbling and the land was sinking in surrounding area, it was not a good sign for future. The wall near the bus stand supports a multi-storey building which, too, has become unsafe now.

The Churan khud that passes through the heart of the town is in spate and has caused excessive damage on both sides. A large portion of a supporting wall has collapsed in the Shamnagar area, opposite Gorkha Bhawan. Vipin, a resident of the area, said, “The entire stretch has sunk, posing a serious threat to passers-by. The stretch needs immediate attention.”

The Churan khud has also caused a landslide posing a threat to Ward 13, the Badol area of the town. The residents say they are living under constant threat since the river has come closer to residential areas. They complained that so far nobody from the Municipal Corporation had cared to visit the spot despite repeated requests. The road leading to houses in the ward has been swept away causing a lot of inconvenience to residents, majority of whom are women and senior citizens.

The road leading to McLeodganj, a popular tourist destination, is also sinking at many places. A stretch of 200 metres ahead of Kali Mata Temple has sunk along with a protection wall that has now been reduced to half its original breadth.

The situation is no different on the Khara Danda road that starts from Kotwali Bazaar and leads to McLeodganj as the stretch has been damaged at many places.

Even as huge amount has been spent on the two roads, a long-lasting solution remains a distant dream.