Criminal complaint lodged as NHAI and associates blamed for Natural Disasters on Kalka to Shimla highway
Shimla, July 29
Former Deputy Mayor of Shimla MC, Tikender Singh Panwar, has taken a significant step amidst the ongoing heavy rainfall and filed a criminal complaint against the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) and a construction company responsible for the natural disasters and extensive loss of lives and property along the recently constructed four-lane highway between Kalka and Shimla.
Panwar, who belongs to the affected area and resides in Shimla, lodged the online complaint this morning, alleging criminal negligence by NHAI, resulting in massive damage to the natural ecosystem, human lives, assets, and financial losses for farmers unable to transport their agricultural produce to the market.
The complaint has been filed at the police station in Parwanoo, District Solan, and holds the NHAI, along with their executing and planning officers based at Chakkar office, Rishikesh Sadan, and ShanKutia in Shimla, and the executing company, GR Infra Projects, with corporate office at 2nd floor Novus Tower, Plot No. 18, Sector 18, Gurugram, Haryana, responsible for the construction of the four-lane stretch from Parwanoo to Solan.
Singh emphasized that it was the responsibility of NHAI and the construction company to ensure minimum damage to the hills during the project’s construction. He accused them of not consulting the geological department while preparing the project report, which he believes to be erroneous.
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Panwar pointed out that since the construction began, there have been continuous losses of both assets and lives, highlighting that the design of the cutting was flawed, as it was done vertically instead of in slopes, causing perpetual problems for the people for whom this development project was undertaken.
The former deputy Mayor and urban expert firmly believes that both NHAI and the executing company, G R Infraprojects Limited, should be tried for criminal neglect. Additionally, he called for an investigation into whether there was any connivance involved in this neglect.
The four-lane highway has become problematic during the rainy season, with boulders and landslides causing heavy property damage and loss of life since its commissioning. It is worth mentioning that during the recent rainfall, the four lanes wreaked havoc in the area, leading to the suspension of vehicular traffic for four days. Even as of date at many places this part of the Highway is open for traffic single lane.
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