Solan Ward Watch - Chambaghat Salogra: NH 4-laning: Delay in shifting of civic utilities angers locals

Ambika Sharma

Solan, April 10

The delay in shifting of civic utilities such as water pipes after the four-laning of the Solan-Kandaghat section of the National Highway is creating hardships for residents of Chambaghat Salogra ward of the Solan Municipal Corporation (MC).

The four-laning work was undertaken in 2018-19 and water pipes serving the ward were damaged in the process. The civic body staff failed to re-lay the pipes properly and some of them were installed in a shoddy manner. The residents fear that the pipes could be damaged by heavy vehicles, depriving them of water supply.

They claimed that when the pipes were damaged during the four-lane work, the civic body staff failed to turn up despite being asked to do so by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The authority is executing the four-laning work of the highway and constructing a flyover at Chambaghat.

The approach road to several houses on the valley side of the highway had been buried during the road widening work. The NHAI had erected iron stairs at some places to grant access to houses, but elderly and children still face problems. The lack of an appropriate parking place for their vehicles is another problem the ward residents are facing. ”As the flyover construction was underway, we have to struggle every day to find a new parking place,” rued Naresh, a local. This uncertainty is likely to remain till the flyover work is complete.

The Municipal Corporation took up the matter of shifting the utilities with the NHAI. Estimates of Rs 34.40 lakh were prepared in 2020 to shift the utilities from Chambaghat to Salogra. Several letters were shot off in January 2020 and August 2021 to the NHAI for funds. The NHAI deposited Rs 17.20 lakh in July 2020 for shifting the utilities from the highway. Since the MC failed to sent the utilisation certificate for the remaining work to the NHAI, the funds were put on hold.

“An amount of Rs 2.67 lakh has been recently released by the NHAI for relocating some water pipes,” said Solan MC Assistant Engineer Alpana Thakur. She added that the remaining funds would be released after the submission of the utilitisation certificate by the MC.

As the civic body lacks adequate staff and funds, shifting of utilities does not figure on its list of priorities.