SHIMLA/CHANDIGARH: If a common Himachali visitor has no connection with a Minister, a GAD Babu in Shimla Secretariat, it is next to impossible to get a room booked on GAD portal HimAttithi online in Himachal Bhawan Chandigarh or in Delhi.
Even if it is booked by some commoner, or even by a genuine media person, in case some room is left out from "VIP or MLA or Minister or somebody from Secretariat".
There are high chances that he/she can be thrown out any time in case some VIP or his/her relative or someone who call the shots in Shimla secretariat drop in.
Recently a 85 years old retired HPS officer, who was under treatment at PGI booked a room in Himachal Bhawan for three days.
But the very next, he was shown the door as GAD did not continue his booking and he was asked to vacate the room at 7 PM in the cold weather of winter night and was shift to Gujjar Bhawan.
Those who donot have any connection in Secretariat, they usually get the pet message, "Room could not be booked in your favour, around 6:00 PM in the evening on a mobile phone.
They have to run in panic to look for a room elsewhere in the city as it is difficult for them to get the room in evening hours.
Why cannot GAD confirm the booking around 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM? they ask.
The visitors complain that GAD babus expect a call from the minister/MLA or his/her superior to get himself obliged.
What is shocking is that GAD cares least to maintain the rooms meant for the non-VIPs in Himachal Bhawan. The armies of mosquitoes run freely in these rooms. The beddings are in bad shape, the visitors rued.
The plight of patients and their attendants seeking a room in Himachal Sewa Sadan and Himachal Sarai in Chandigarh is no different.
Rooms are in bad shape, hygiene is not maintained, quilts stink and walls are withering, beddings are in poor condition, food also needs attention.
They charge Rs 600-700 per night for a room in Himachal Sewa Sadan.
The sad plight of people seeking rooms in Himachal Seva sadan or Himachal Sarai was raised today by a delegation of Himachal Student Union Chandigarh (HIMSU) led by President, Mannat Nainta, Raghav, Kshitij, Lovish, Aryan and others with the ChiefMinister.
They met Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday evening.
The Delegation apprised the Chief Minister regarding the various demands of Himachali patients coming to PGI for treatment.
The delegation also told him about the difficulties that the patients are facing in Himachal Sarai Bhawan of Sector-24 and Himachal Seva Sadan of Sector-25.
They have urged the Chief Minister to install Solar Grid System.
They sought concession on room rent charges to those patients who have to stay for a longer period for treatment besides installing air conditioning and maintaining hygiene in the rooms.
They also urged him to provide free solar shuttle bus ambulance facility to the patients for PGI.
The Chief Minister assured the delegation that the State Government would fulfill all their genuine demands on priority and would ensure better facilities to the patients residing in Himachal Sarai Bhawan and Himachal Sadan.
The visitors seeking rooms in Himachal Bhawan also demand fair system of room reservation.
He ensured HIMSU that he himself will inspect the building and would take necessary steps to ease the patients coming from Himachal to PGI for treatment.
