Exasperated over the inordinate delay in rebuilding the Alaue Manali bridge, the town's residents have blamed lax PWD officials for the lack of progress and have demanded early completion of the project. According to locals that bridge is the lifeline of the town, connecting the left bank of the Beas river with its right bank. After the bridge was damaged in 1995 due to floods in the region no steps were taken to rebuild it.
Former horticulture minister and chairman of the Kullu district road, transport & public welfare committee, Satya Parkash Thakur said: "Due to the bridge's dilapidated condition there is a lot of noise pollution in the area. We have demanded the state government should ask public works department officials to make speedy progress on the project."
On Thursday a delegation of committee members met with additional district magistrate Kullu Vinay Singh Thakur over the issue and apprised him about their grievances. According to Thakur, the PWD has acquired more than one 'bigha' of land for the construction of the 300 meter bridge a year ago but no progress has been made for its construction.
"If the authorities fail to make progress on the project, we will be forced to stage a protest against PWD officials to pressurize it to start the construction work for the welfare of people in the region," he added.
Apart from this the committee members urged the district administration to deploy more manpower and snow cutters in the Jalori Jyot area in winter. They said vehicular traffic frequently remained blocked due to heavy snowfall in the area that connects outer Seraj and Anni with the main district headquarters via Banjar.
{{/usCountry}}Apart from this the committee members urged the district administration to deploy more manpower and snow cutters in the Jalori Jyot area in winter. They said vehicular traffic frequently remained blocked due to heavy snowfall in the area that connects outer Seraj and Anni with the main district headquarters via Banjar.
{{/usCountry}}"We urge the central government to ensure construction of Jalori Jyot tunnel in the area, which may prove boon for residents of the outer Seraj and Anni areas in Kullu district because it will provide them all-weather road connectivity in the region," Thakur said.