Transport nagar in BBN area yet to see light of day

Ambika Sharma

Tribune News Service

Solan, October 15

The industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN), which has the Asia’s largest transport union, is yet to get the transport nagar.

The stress had been laid on creating infrastructure here and even land measuring 63 bighas earmarked for this purpose, but little could be achieved in creating the facility to ensure the parking of about 10,000 vehicles.

Commissioner, Transport, BC Badalia, said they would soon invite expression of interest for setting up the transport nagar at Baddi and this would help them assess other facilities which should be created. The land had been transferred to the department for this purpose at Katha village. Transport nagars would also be set up at Una, Darlaghat, Solan, Kangra, etc, and a budgetary provision of Rs 12 crore had been set aside.

Haphazard parking of trucks along the roads is a major issue as the area lacks adequate parking. Though, some parking lots have been developed in Chokiwala and Sandholi but they are insufficient to house the fleet of about 10,000 vehicles. The parking of trucks along the highway is creating a major traffic hassle.

Arun Rawat, an investor and past CII chairman for Himachal, said transport nagar was a must for the region as thousands of trucks moved in and out on a daily basis. It would also facilitate hiring of trucks at competitive rates.

The government had mooted a proposal to set up a transport nagar at a cost of Rs 11 crore at Sandholi in 2012 but the Centre had rejected the proposal. A new site at Katha village had been selected by a committee headed by the Regional Transport Officer, Solan, 2015. The land, initially owned by the Industries Department, had been transferred to the Transport Department for constructing the facility.

The Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority, which had initiated the process to set up transport Nagar in 2015 after identifying 63 bigha land at Katha village, was no longer executing this project. The agenda to set up the facility was dropped in May 2016, said its Chief Executive Officer KC Chaman.

Facility a must: CII former chief

• The industrial hub of Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh (BBN) has the Asia’s largest transport union.
• The government had mooted a proposal to set up a transport nagar at Rs 11 crore at Sandholi in 2012 but the Centre had rejected the proposal. 
• Land measuring 63 bighas had been earmarked for transport nagar at Katha village, but little could be achieved 
• Former CII chairman said a transport nagar was a must for the region as thousands of trucks moved in and out on a daily basis.
• Haphazard parking of trucks along the roads is a major issue.