Mumbai, Oct. 23 -- Residents of Sanjauli, Bhatta Kuffar, Shanti Vihar and nearby areas in Shimla marched towards Sanjauli Chowk on Friday, 16 October, opposing the National Highways Authority of India's (NHAI) twin-tunnel project. The protesters alleged that the project's revised alignment had caused cracks in buildings and created safety risks for densely populated residential areas.
The demonstration was organised under the banner of the Twin Tunnel Affected People's Sangharsh Committee. Protesters called for an immediate halt to construction, a fresh review of the revised alignment and a return to the original survey route.
The residents alleged that blasting and excavation on the fragile, heavily populated slope threatened homes and lives. They claimed the revised alignment could affect nearly 500 residential buildings, while damage so far had affected about 15 to 20 families.
The protesters also cautioned that the impact could widen as tunnelling progresses. Govind Chitranta, a local resident involved in the agitation, said the committee had been formed to raise residents' concerns and hold the authorities and executing agencies accountable.
Committee president and local councillor Narender Thakur said residents were conducting a peaceful protest to protect their homes. He said they wanted an opportunity to present their concerns to the state government, including the chief minister.
The committee questioned the decision to abandon the original route towards Dhalli. It claimed compensation had already been paid for houses demolished along the earlier alignment and that road work had progressed in that direction, raising questions about the reasons for changing the route. The residents' objections centre on the potential effect of tunnelling and related construction on buildings located along the revised alignment.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.