Govt blames incessant rains for battered roads in apple region

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HimVani.

SHIMLA: Himachal Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal while replying on a debate in Vidhan Sabha on Tuesday regarding the bad plight of roads in the apple belt of the hill State said that the recent rains have caused a massive damage to the state road infrastructure to the tune of about Rs 170 crores. Not only the national and state highways but the link roads in villages are also greatly affected, he said. The hill state which is suffering from a problem of plenty vis-à-vis the apple crop has also experienced unusually high rainfall this time which in turn has advanced the plucking of fruit.

The BJP MLAs led by the Chief Minister and Horticulture Minister Narendra Bragta forcefully defended the government’s efforts and preparations in transporting and marketing the crop both within and outside the state. K R Balnath, MLA from the apple growing belt of Rohru said more than 1.05 crore apple boxes have been sent to various markets against a figure of just 30 lakhs last year. The State government is charging on road tax from the vehicles coming from outside the State and the farmers are getting handsome price for their produce. It is the BJP government which had created state’s own mandis (markets) in Solan, Rampur and Rohru and that have saved the farmers from various commission agents outside the State, he said.

Earlier, while initiating the debate under rule 63, Leader of Opposition Vidya Stokes said that a virtual collapse of road network has occurred in apple growing areas. Herself a big apple grower she said the government has not found any alternative roads or markets for the farmers who are contributing more than Rs 2000 crores to the economy of the hill state. She alleged that ripened fruit is rotting on the roads at various places in anterior Shimla.

Mr Kuldip Singh Pathania of Congress demanded a comprehensive policy on the road and transport network in the state. There is almost a negligible air or rail network in the state, he said. Mr Kaul Singh Thakur of Congress said the road condition had worsened because of the ongoing road widening project undertaken by a Chinese multinational company. The BJP blamed the UPA government for cancelling the visa of Chinese engineers for more than a year which had delayed this project. The broadening work has been temporarily suspended by the government for the smooth movement of traffic in the apple belt.

Edited by: Johar Singh

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12 COMMENTS

  1. WHY IS IT THAT IT IS ALWAYS DHUMAL OR VB SINGH AS CM. THERE ARE NO OTHER EDUCATED PERSONS IN HP. humm lakeer ke fakeer kab takk bane fahenge   jsa

  2. WHY IS IT THAT IT IS ALWAYS DHUMAL OR VB SINGH AS CM. THERE ARE NO OTHER EDUCATED PERSONS IN HP. humm lakeer ke fakeer kab takk bane fahenge   jsa

  3. look for alernative routes to the markets . route from rohroo to poanta sahib should be considered seriously for development to make network of roads fault tolerant.

  4. look for alernative routes to the markets . route from rohroo to poanta sahib should be considered seriously for development to make network of roads fault tolerant.

  5. Very true,If the Govt is really concerned about the Apple Grower's woes,then it should do something immediately to double lane the Rohru- Paontasahib and Chhaila-Solan road.
    Ravinder.

  6. Very true,If the Govt is really concerned about the Apple Grower's woes,then it should do something immediately to double lane the Rohru- Paontasahib and Chhaila-Solan road.
    Ravinder.

  7. Bad conditions of roads due to heavy rain and widening of roads by chinese MNC could not be construed for defending bad management on the part of government. The better would be that the government should made effective steps now onward so that the growers should not suffer any more in future. let the present government set an example of good governance.

    • Dear Thakur,
      Hasino se ahdey vfa chahtey ho bare nasmjh ho ye kya chahtey ho ! Present government and good governance are like-poles  and repel each other.

  8. Bad conditions of roads due to heavy rain and widening of roads by chinese MNC could not be construed for defending bad management on the part of government. The better would be that the government should made effective steps now onward so that the growers should not suffer any more in future. let the present government set an example of good governance.

    • Dear Thakur,
      Hasino se ahdey vfa chahtey ho bare nasmjh ho ye kya chahtey ho ! Present government and good governance are like-poles  and repel each other.

  9. A dedicated  exclusive system of rope ways and trolleys should be installed to evacuate the fruit and vegetable crops from the states mountainous regions.The trolleys are often used in mineral based industry or cement plants .The loan can be taken from any world financial institution.This will save the roads from onslaught of millions of trucks,making them potholed and slushy,as the transportation is to be done in rainy season.This will promote tourism as well as curb pollution.First of all a pilot project can be implemented in the heart of apple belt…

  10. A dedicated  exclusive system of rope ways and trolleys should be installed to evacuate the fruit and vegetable crops from the states mountainous regions.The trolleys are often used in mineral based industry or cement plants .The loan can be taken from any world financial institution.This will save the roads from onslaught of millions of trucks,making them potholed and slushy,as the transportation is to be done in rainy season.This will promote tourism as well as curb pollution.First of all a pilot project can be implemented in the heart of apple belt…

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