Snowbound Villages Left Stranded: PWD Paralysis Adds to Public Misery..
Shimla: The snowbound roads in Himachal’s higher reaches have left entire villages marooned, exposing the hollow claims of the Sukhu government including PWD Minister about disaster readiness and public service.
The most glaring example is the Dopti-Pabaas-Kenchi-Shilgadhan-Lashtadhar link road, which serves residents in upper villages like Hirag and Shilgrahan in Deot panchayat in Chopal.
This vital lifeline has remained blocked for over a month, despite repeated pleas to the Public Works Department (PWD).
Residents, already battling extreme weather, are now at their wit's end. A family, including an 88-year-old woman, recently found themselves stranded on the snow-covered Pabaas-Kenchi-Lashtadhar stretch, underscoring the grim reality of government apathy.
While the JCBs are refused to be deployed for genuine public emergency, the private contractors inflate bills for snow clearance, spreading of sands on the slippery roads in the snowbound areas everytime the snowfall blocks the these roads, charged the angry public. It is nothing less than a big scam, they claimed.
Machines Without Fuel, Promises Without Action
PWD officials admit that JCB machines deployed for road clearance are idling—simply because there’s no fuel. Private pump operators in Chopal have reportedly refused to supply fuel until the government clears their dues, which have been pending for over six months.
"The treasury is locked, and PWD officials are helpless," lamented a local resident.
This fuel crisis has crippled snow clearance operations across snowbound areas, leaving the public to fend for themselves. Villagers allege that their suffering is compounded because the affected regions are represented by opposition BJP leaders, making them low on the government’s priority list.
Fiscal Prudence or Mismanagement?
Critics argue that the Sukhu government’s much-touted “fiscal prudence” is nothing but a smokescreen for poor governance. PWD Minister Vikramaditya Singh’s assurances ring hollow as stranded families, blocked roads, and non-operational machinery paint a picture of administrative failure.
“The government can’t even provide basic fuel for machines, yet it boasts of fiscal discipline. Is this how it plans to serve the public?” questioned an agitated local leader. Even if old dies due to lack of connectivity, it is no Emergency for the government, he rued.
Public Outrage Mounts
With no signs of relief, public anger is simmering. The lack of urgency in reopening key link roads has left residents feeling abandoned.
