The Himachal Pradesh High Court has directed authorities to tar the Dharampur-Garkhal road in Solan district, clear illegally dumped debris along the route and accelerate construction of the alternate Kimmughat–Chakki Mod road.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin Chander Negi issued the directions while hearing a suo motu public interest litigation. The bench considered a status report submitted by the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Solan, following inspections carried out on June 23 and September 21.
The DLSA report said the road from Kasauli Chowk in Dharampur to Garkhal had deteriorated because of heavy rain. It also stated that no significant progress could be made during the period between the two inspections. Other roadside works had begun, and photographs documenting the condition of the road were placed before the court.
The inspection also found debris that had been illegally dumped along the Dharampur-Garkhal stretch. Directing the authorities to act after the withdrawal of the monsoon, the bench said, “Since the monsoon has now withdrawn, let effective steps be taken for tarring and getting the illegal dumping cleared from Dharampur to Garkhal stretch.”
The court was informed that the Garkhal-Kasauli road was now in good condition. A 130-metre stretch near Kasauli Resorts, which had earlier been identified as being in poor condition, had also improved, according to the DLSA report.
The proceedings also focused on the alternate road between Kimmughat and Chakki Mod. The report said that two large vertical concrete support pillars had been constructed and work on a third was under way. The nearly 16-km road is being built under the NABARD Rural Infrastructure Development Fund.
Progress, however, has not been uniform across the alternate route. Work on the first eight-kilometre section between Kimmughat and Sari has been delayed, although foundation layers of crushed stone and gravel had earlier been laid by the contractor. On the Sari-Chakki Mod section, repairs were being carried out with interlocking paver blocks, the report said.
The court’s directions place both immediate road maintenance and longer-term connectivity under scrutiny. Tarring and debris removal are intended to address the condition of the existing Dharampur-Garkhal route, while the alternate road is expected to provide another connection through the area once completed. The status report indicates that the condition of individual stretches and the pace of construction remain different across this road network.
The state authorities have been directed to expedite construction of the Kimmughat–Chakki Mod road and file a fresh status report before the next hearing on December 28. That report will provide the court with an update on the road surfacing, debris clearance and progress on the delayed section.