Even after 77 years of independence, Junga did not get the status of urban body

Despite 77 years of independence, the princely city of Junga has not yet been able to get the status of a Nagar Panchayat, due to which the people of this city are feeling cheated. During the tenure of the former BJP government in November 2020, former CM Jairam Thakur and former Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj visited Junga, the city was assured of giving the status of a Nagar Panchayat, which has not been fulfilled till date. However, the population of the city is around three and a half thousand, which includes tehsil, police battalion, and state level forensic lab and other offices. Despite this, Junga town has not been able to get the status of a Nagar Panchayat, due to which this town is not able to develop in a planned manner.
Local people believe that whatever development has taken place in Junga till now is only the gift of former CM Virbhadra Singh. They say that when Junga used to be the headquarters of Keonthal state, this city used to be bustling with activity during that time but at present the streets of Junga city look deserted throughout the year. Recently the state government issued notification of ten Nagar Panchayats and Municipal Corporations but the name of Junga remained secondary in this list because till date no public representative has demanded to give urban body status to this town. The local Panchayat seems helpless in getting the city cleaned in a proper manner. Buildings are being constructed in the city arbitrarily, no type of town planning act is applicable in this city.
Durga Singh Thakur, a resident of Junga, says that due to the absence of a bypass road for old Junga, heavy vehicles have to pass through the narrow lanes of Junga. Due to which there is often a jam in the city streets. Due to the absence of a bus station in the city, buses have to be parked on the road. There is no parking facility anywhere in the city, due to which vehicle owners coming from outside face a lot of problems.
Similarly, many posts of various categories are lying vacant in Civil Hospital Junga. Due to the absence of gynecologist, orthopedist and pediatrician, people have to go to Shimla.
Tehsildar Junga Narayan Singh Verma said that no proposal has yet come from the people to grant Nagar Panchayat status to Junga city.