Our Walls Are Cracking, Our Patience Is Too”: Himachal Villagers March on Secretariat, Demand Halt to Unsafe Construction

A coalition of affected residents and the Himachal Kisan Sabha has called for a major public march to the state Secretariat tomorrow, January 19, escalating a crisis over infrastructure projects that they allege are destroying homes and endangering lives.

The call to action comes after a series of alarming incidents linked to ongoing four-lane highway construction. The movement crystallized last month when a residential building in Sanjay Van colony collapsed completely. The disaster was not isolated; surveys revealed deep structural cracks in at least six other homes in the area, rendering multiple families permanently displaced.

The issue, however, is spreading. Residents of Bhattakufer reported a sudden, massive sinkhole appearing on a village road, an incident where a young child had a miraculous escape. Most recently, the village of Chalaunthi has reported identical patterns of cracks snaking through house walls, creating a new wave of homelessness and fear.

“What kind of development makes families homeless and swallows a lifetime’s savings?” questioned Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, State President of the Himachal Kisan Sabha. “This isn’t progress; it’s destruction in concrete’s clothing.”

The core accusation from the Sabha and residents is threefold: reckless construction methods by private companies, a complete failure of regulatory oversight by government departments, and a troubling public silence that allows the cycle to continue.

“They work with a heavy hand, answerable to no one,” a statement from the Sabha reads, targeting the construction firms. It further criticizes the “deafening silence” and lack of accountability from local representatives and authorities.

Dr. Tanwar pointed to a perceived conflict of interest, suggesting that the financial might of these corporations, often major political donors, has created a “nexus of power, money, and indifference” that paralyzes action from both ruling and opposition parties.

“The silence of affected communities, watching each other’s suffering as isolated incidents, is our biggest enemy,” he added, appealing for unified action.

The march tomorrow aims to present a set of concrete demands to the state government:

• An immediate, independent scientific audit of all contested construction sites by premier institutions like the Geological Survey of India (GSI), IIT Roorkee, and IIT Mandi.
• Comprehensive compensation for all families who have lost homes or suffered property damage.
• An immediate stoppage of work on any project segment where companies fail to adopt scientifically-vetted safety methods.

The “Toland to Secretariat” march is expected to draw residents from the affected villages of Sanjay Van, Bhattakufer, and Chalaunthi, alongside farmers and civil society members. Organizers state the goal is to break the cycle of inaction by presenting a united front.

“When the government and the system look away, the people must look out for each other,” Dr. Tanwar said. “This march is to show that our community’s safety is non-negotiable.”

CHRONOLOGY OF A CRISIS

· Dec 2025: Building collapse in Sanjay Van. Multiple homes declared unsafe.
· Early Jan 2026: Large sinkhole appears on Bhattakufer road; child narrowly escapes.
· Mid-Jan 2026: Cracks reported in homes in Chalaunthi, more families displaced.
· Jan 19, 2026: Planned march from Toland to State Secretariat.