5 months on, road damaged due to landslide at entrance to Mandi turns a dust headache for commuters
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The Newz Radar
MANDI: The road at the entrance of Mandi city of Himachal Pradesh near Vishwakarma Chowk has been crying for repair after being damaged on August 13 last year due to heavy landslides.
Even after the passage of five months, the road stretch hasn’t been completely repaired by the Public Works Department.
Instead of addressing the issue, the department has exacerbated the situation by filling the potholes with soil, which has led to the spread of dust whenever vehicles cross.
“Amid the ongoing dry spell when citizens have been grappling with health issues, the pervasive dust has been worsening the situation,” said a resident.
On Wednesday (January 17, 2024), the department brought soil from another location and commenced the filling of potholes, prompting the citizens to voice their concerns to Municipal Corporation Mayor Veerendra Sharma Bhatt.
The Mayor, accompanied by the assistant engineer of the Public Works Department, expressed astonishment at the situation, noting that despite existing dust problems, more soil is being brought in. “Even after five months, the department has not removed stones from the damaged road, cleared soil heaps or addressed blocked drains, resulting in a city engulfed by dust,” said a resident, Anju Dhiman.
The citizens informed the Mayor that if the government and department lacked funds for minor tasks, they were willing to contribute and collect funds so as to alleviate the distress caused by dust-related issues.
Recognising the severity of the matter, the Mayor promptly discussed the issue with on-site officials and directed immediate action to repair the road. Citizens emphasised that if the road is not fixed within a week, they would stage a roadblock.
Citizens expressed gratitude to Mayor Veerendra Sharma Bhatt for acknowledging their challenges at the site. “However, officials from the public works department have never assessed the situation firsthand,” said Anju.
