Villagers protest excavation work

Residents of the Bhali gram panchayat in Jawali subdivision of Kangra district staged a protest on Monday against the ongoing deep excavation work near Chichad Link Road. The work is part of the Seuni-Rajol stretch under the Pathankot-Mandi four-lane project, being executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).

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The villagers, especially women in large numbers, gathered at Bhali to raise their concerns about the disruption of vital rural paths due to the deep excavation. They claimed the construction activity threatens to sever their internal connectivity within the panchayat.

Local residents Maya Devi, Nisha, Dimple, Deepak, Chaman Lal and Dinesh Chandra said hundreds of families depend on kutcha rural paths to access agricultural fields and graze livestock in nearby pastures. “These paths have been in use for decades and are essential to our livelihood. With the excavation work, we fear permanent disconnection,” said one of the protesters.

Chaman Lal, Ranjit and Dinesh further explained that without these paths, residents would be forced to walk over two kilometers to reach other parts of the panchayat for daily tasks such as farming and cattle grazing.

The agitated villagers have issued a 15-day ultimatum to the state government and local administration, demanding intervention. They urged authorities to direct the construction company to build an overbridge or similar facility to restore the connectivity.

Responding to the protest, Tushar Singh, Deputy General Manager, NHAI, said he was unaware of the issue. “I will look into the matter and ensure the concerns of the villagers are addressed on priority,” he assured. The protest highlights growing tensions between development projects and rural community needs in the region.