Who Will Answer for Himachal’s Crumbling Highways? A Child’s Close Call Demands Action : Himachal Kisan Sabha
A routine school run turned into a nightmare in Himachal Pradesh when a young student had a miraculous escape after a massive pit opened up beneath her school bus, causing her to fall into the cavity. This wasn’t an act of nature, but a chilling reminder of what locals are calling the shoddy and unscientific construction of the ongoing four-lane projects.
The ground, it seems, is giving way under the weight of questionable development.
This incident is not an isolated one. If you’ve been following the news, you’ll remember the horrifying collapse of a five-story residential building in Bhattakufar during the monsoons, a tragedy directly blamed on unsafe construction practices for the four-lane highway. As of today, five to six other buildings in the area still stand vacant, officially declared unsafe for habitation.
The spotlight now falls on the construction companies, notably India Construction and Gawar Companies, accused by activists of operating with impunity. The common sentiment on the ground is one of frustration and anger towards a state government perceived as having lost control, and a central government allegedly turning a blind eye.
“This lawlessness raises a critical question,” a local resident commented. “Our political leaders are quick to publicly assault an NHAI engineer, but their voices fall to a whisper when it comes to holding the powerful construction firms accountable. What deals have been struck behind closed doors? What is the real reason for this silence?”
With elected representatives maintaining a conspicuous silence, the call for accountability is now shifting to the people.
“The only answer is people’s power,” says Dr. Kuldip Singh Tanwar of the Himachal Kisan Sabha. “The number of directly affected families, while significant, is not enough. We need the wider public, whose safety is equally at risk, to stand with us.”
The Kisan Sabha is mobilizing, but they emphasize that this is no longer just a farmers’ issue or a problem for Bhattakufar. From Solan to Shimla, the entire state is grappling with the environmental and safety fallout of what many see as a dangerously executed infrastructure push.
A Call to Stand Together
In response, a widespread protest has been called for November 26th. Demonstrations will be held in every district against the irregularities in the four-lane construction.
“For the sake of our homes, our land, and the future of our state,” the appeal reads, “we urge every citizen of Shimla and all those affected by the four-lane projects to join this protest. It’s time to make our voices heard before another life is endangered.”
