Roads remain a distant dreamin Kullu villages

Our Correspondent

Kullu, April 15

People in many villages of Kullu district have not been able to get road facilities till date. It exposes the government’s claims that many schemes have been launched to connect far-flung rural areas on priority with the road network

People living in these areas are leading difficult lives due to the lack of road connectivity. Many villages of the Upper valley, Lug valley, Parbati valley, Sainj valley, Banjar valley, Seraj valley, Anni and Nirmand are still deprived of road facility.

In some areas the initiative has been taken to build roads, but due to various issues the construction has been affected.

Villagers face hassles in case of emergencies due to the non-availability of roads. Elderly or patients have to be carried on the back or cot in many villages to reach the nearest road in emergent situations.

Major fire incidents had destroyed many villages in the past as these were inaccessible to fire tenders. As many as 46 houses and 47 cowsheds were gutted in a fire on December 19, 2007, in Mohini village. More than 150 houses and five temples were gutted on May 1, 2008. About 80 houses and an ancient temple were destroyed in a fire at Kotla village on November 15, 2015. Nine houses were gutted at Jindi village in Lug valley area on February 25, 2019. Three houses were gutted in a fire in Narogi village on May 27, 2018, because fire tenders could not reach the spot as the village is not connected by road.

Agriculturists of these inaccessible areas have to spend hefty amounts to transport their produce to marketing yards. Students of many villages have to travel long distances to reach their institutions. The cost of items of daily needs is much higher in these areas.

The DPR of many roads is ready, but due to non-receipt of NOC from the Forest Department, the work of these roads was hanging fire.