Shimla, July 20,
Following public pressure, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has agreed to conduct joint site inspections of the Shimla Bypass Project along with Gram Panchayat representatives. The decision comes three days after a massive protest staged outside the NHAI regional office in Shimla by the Himachal Kisan Sabha and the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU).
The inspections, scheduled for July 22, 23, and 24, will cover Package-1 and Package-2 of the Shimla Bypass Project, including the panchayats of Basha, Shoghi, Anandpur, Kot Geha, Mehli, Pujarli, Malyana, Chamyana, and Dhalli. The decision was formally communicated via letter No. 11013/12/2022/IE/K-D/PIU-SML/1070 dated July 17 by Anand Kumar, Project Director, NHAI, PIU-Shimla. The letter directs the project concessionaires and the independent engineer to coordinate with local Panchayats and attend the inspections with all relevant documents.
The development follows a large-scale demonstration led by Dr. Kuldeep Singh Tanwar, President of Himachal Kisan Sabha, and Vijendra Mehra, State President of CITU. The protestors had accused NHAI and its contractors of unscientific construction practices, illegal dumping of debris, violations of labour laws, and causing damage to residential structures, agricultural land, and the local environment. They had demanded immediate on-site hearings with local Panchayats, compensation for affected families, blacklisting of Gawar Company, and enforcement of the state’s employment policy mandating 80 percent job reservation for local residents.
In its communication, NHAI has directed both M/s Shimla Bypass Kaithlighat Shakral Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Gawar Shimla Highways Pvt. Ltd. to ensure the presence of their authorized representatives at the scheduled site visits and to carry relevant technical and legal documentation. This marks the first formal step by the authority toward involving local communities in grievance redressal after repeated complaints regarding environmental damage and construction-related negligence in Himachal Pradesh’s highway expansion projects.
The protesting organizations have termed the NHAI’s response a partial victory but have stated that further action will depend on the outcomes of the site inspections and whether the concerns raised by local stakeholders are addressed in a transparent and time-bound manner. The move also signals a potential shift toward greater accountability in infrastructure projects and may pave the way for more inclusive decision-making processes in the state.
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