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Shahpur’s 4-lane fiasco: Mud mayhem & missed deadlines

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The under-construction four-lane National Highway passing through Shahpur has turned into a hazard zone after the first showers of the monsoon, crippling life for thousands of residents.
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What was once hailed as a symbol of progress now lies buried in slush and frustration. The under-construction four-lane National Highway passing through Shahpur has turned into a hazard zone after the first showers of the monsoon, crippling life for thousands of residents.

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“The road is not just incomplete—it’s dangerous,” says Sunita Devi, a local resident. “Two-wheelers are skidding, pedestrians are falling and cars are getting stuck. And this is just the beginning.”

The worst-hit area is the Draman overhead bridge, where the lack of proper drainage, unfinished surfaces and poor slope management have created a dangerous bottleneck. Despite contractors’ efforts to lay gravel at slippery points, the sheer volume of mud and standing water makes the road nearly impassable.

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Long stretches are blanketed with sludge. Without retaining walls or a functioning drainage system, locals fear the area is now ripe for landslides and severe flooding. The situation has triggered widespread anxiety, especially with peak monsoon weeks still ahead.

Acknowledging the crisis, Shahpur SDM Kartar Chand said, “The construction company needs to scale up its efforts urgently. Immediate action is needed on drainage, retaining walls, and linking village roads under the PWD. It’s marginally better than last year, but clearly not enough.”

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Locals remain unimpressed. “Last year was bad. This year, we were promised better. But what we have is mud, danger, and broken promises,” said local trader Rakesh Kumar. In a move to address public concerns, Kangra MP Rajiv Bhardwaj inspected the troubled Jassur-to-Shahpur stretch, issuing firm directions for time-bound completion.

Tomorrow, Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra will join Bhardwaj to inspect the Ghat Nalu (Sihun) to Rajol section. The highway, part of the ambitious Pathankot–Mandi corridor, now symbolises the pressing need for better planning, accountability, and timely execution—before the rain writes a darker chapter.

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