The local administration and the Public Works Department (PWD) have failed to restore traffic on the main road linking Indora, Mohtali and Damtal in the Indora Assembly constituency of Kangra district, which has been blocked with heaps of soil and fencing by a resident since June 19. The prolonged closure of this key road has triggered widespread public resentment, with residents of Mohtali, Baleer, Seerat, Surajpur, Malot, Dahkulara and Bapooh gram panchayats facing severe hardships in commuting. The affected gram panchayats have passed and submitted resolutions to the local MLA and the PWD authorities, demanding immediate restoration of the road. However, no concrete action has been taken so far.
Legal battle leads to road blockade
Raghubir Singh, a resident of Mohtali, blocked the road after securing ownership and possession of his ancestral land through a legal battle spanning 14 years, culminating in an order of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh. After the execution of the court order, he reclaimed possession of the land by blocking the road passing through it. According to local residents, the PWD had constructed the road on the petitioner’s private land without paying compensation or initiating mandatory land acquisition proceedings. Despite the ongoing court case, the department allegedly failed to resolve the issue or compensate the landowner, ultimately leading to the present situation.
Efforts to resolve the dispute
Soon after the road was blocked, local MLA Malender Rajan, accompanied by the SDM, Indora DSP and PWD officials, met Raghubir Singh and appealed to him to reopen the road. However, the latter reportedly refused to oblige, insisting that compensation for his land be paid first. Former MLA Reeta Dhiman, along with BJP workers, also staged protests over the closure and submitted a memorandum to the Governor, seeking his intervention in the issue.
Impact on students and local industries
The disruption has particularly affected children, who are now forced to walk nearly 200 metres carrying heavy bags to reach their schools. Students of Unique Public Senior Secondary School, Mohtali, and Government High School, Surajpur, are among the worst affected. Industrial units operating at Malot and Seerat are also facing difficulties, as the absence of the main road has disrupted the transportation of raw materials and finished goods.
Temporary alternative route unsafe
Newly elected pradhans of the affected gram panchayats say that villagers have been using a temporary kutcha route connecting Surajpur to Damtal through a seasonal rivulet. However, the alternative route has also become unsafe and has been partially damaged due to the onset of the monsoon. The panchayat representatives have appealed to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu and PWD Minister Vikramaditya to intervene into the matter immediately and ensure an early resolution of the long-pending road connectivity issue.
PWD awaits Supreme Court verdict
Meanwhile, Deepak Mahajan, Executive Engineer (PWD division), Indora, says that the department has filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the High Court order and the final judgment was being awaited. Mahajan adds that a detailed report along with the present status of the road connectivity has been submitted to the higher authorities of the department.
