Potholed roads greet tourists in Kasauli Cantt area

Tribune News Service

Ambika Sharma

Solan, February 16

The condition of roads in Kasauli cantonment is going from bad to worse in the absence of timely repair and maintenance, deterring tourists who frequent the town for its old charm and serenity.

Major roads such as the Lower Mall, Upper Mall, Mashobra, etc., are in a pitiable condition with big potholes visible. At some places residents have filled gaping potholes with broken brick pieces. Vehicles undergo wear and tear on uneven roads. At other places one can see stones jutting out of the worn-out roads.

Ankur, a tourist from Chandigarh, says, “It is appalling to see the roads of Kasauli town are potholed. I’m a regular visitor to the town but the condition of roads was never so annoying”.

“I have paid Rs 120 as the entry fee but considering the poor roads it seems the authorities concerned have not invested funds in maintaining infrastructure,” adds Ankur.

The cantonment board charges Rs 120 per for every vehicle entering the town and this fund should be used to improve infrastructure, say the residents.

One gets a feel of the poor condition of the roads right at the entrance as one crosses the barrier. A walk on the Upper and Lower Mall is no better as one fails to find a clean stretch of road.

An official of the Cantonment Board says, “The work to repair the Upper Mall and Lower Mall roads is the responsibility of the MES. They had allotted the work to a contractor in 2020 but he could not execute it properly. The contract was terminated and he was blacklisted. Fresh sanction was being taken to re-tender the work and the repair of roads will begin after that”.

He adds that multiple agencies look after the roads and some internal roads are looked after by the Cantonment Board while others by the MES and some by the state Public Works Department (PWD).

Residents say that timely repair and maintenance of roads is important as it is a popular tourist destination and poor roads dissuade tourists from coming.

“The charm of walking on roads, which was a fad in this old cantonment town, is fading now as one is unable to enjoy a walk on potholed roads,” says Jyoti, a local resident.

Never so bad

It is appalling to see the potholed roads in Kasauli town. I’m a regular visitor but the condition of roads was never so annoying. I have paid Rs120 as the entry fee but considering the poor roads, it seems the authorities have not invested funds in maintaining infrastructure. — A tourist

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