Urban decay: Kangra cries for civic revival

Kangra town, located 30 km from Palampur and known as the region’s largest market, is facing severe neglect. Despite having a dozen private hospitals, the town struggles with crumbling civic infrastructure. Roads are dotted with potholes, drains overflow and contaminated drinking water is pushing the town towards slum-like conditions.

Along the highway, most drains remain choked, causing frequent waterlogging. During heavy rains, water gushes into shops and warehouses. Traffic congestion has worsened on the Kangra-Chandigarh highway, where the absence of proper parking forces vehicles onto the road, creating inconvenience for commuters and residents alike.

The municipality, entrusted with maintaining the town, is handicapped by meagre funds. Interior roads and streets lie in disrepair, while leaking water supply pipes and overflowing drains result in stagnant water across localities. Garbage disposal is irregular, leaving waste piled up in public spaces.

Adding to the problem, Kangra is divided between municipal control and surrounding panchayat areas. While the municipality struggles with limited resources, the panchayat regions suffer from the absence of a sewerage system and poor sanitation. Most streets are broken, and new housing colonies in these panchayat areas lack even basic civic amenities.

For the last three decades, the state government has failed to extend municipal boundaries to cover these expanding colonies. Residents of panchayat areas have consistently demanded their merger into the municipal council, but political hurdles have stalled progress. Locals emphasise the urgent need for a proper sewerage network, regular garbage removal and immediate road repairs to improve living conditions.

Kangra, once a bustling hub, is now at a tipping point. Without timely intervention, the town risks sliding further into chaos, leaving its residents to bear the brunt of neglect and administrative indifference.