Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 21 : The Shimla district administration has suspended, with immediate effect, the blasting permission granted to the construction company undertaking underground twin-tunnel work in the Sanjauli-Cemetery area, following the appearance of cracks and other damage in houses located above the tunnel.
The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Shimla Deputy Commissioner Anupam Kashyap on Monday to discuss the problems faced by residents of the affected area and formulate measures for the repair of damaged houses and safe execution of the tunnel project.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) informed the administration that no blasting was currently being carried out for the tunnel construction. However, the administration has suspended the permission for blasting issued to the construction company with immediate effect.
The district administration has requested IIT Roorkee to send an expert team to scientifically and technically assess the reasons behind the cracks that have developed in the houses.
The expert team will inspect the affected structures, identify the possible causes of the cracks and suggest precautionary measures required to ensure that further tunnel construction is carried out safely.
The administration has also decided to identify houses requiring repairs through officials of the Revenue Department. The construction company will subsequently prepare a repair roadmap for the identified houses.
The quality and completion of repair work will be inspected by Public Works Department (PWD) officials. The repairs will be finalised only after verification and approval by the department, with the aim of ensuring the safety and satisfaction of affected residents.
The administration has also decided to inspect and list houses located within an approximately 100-metre-wide zone above the twin tunnels to assess any potential damage attributable to the tunnel construction.
The assessment will be undertaken in three sections. Houses located directly above the two 11-metre-wide twin tunnels will be assessed first, followed by houses situated above the 20-metre gap between the tunnels. Houses located within 30 metres on either side of the twin tunnels will then be assessed.
The exercise is intended to establish a comprehensive record of the condition of properties in the area and facilitate assessment of any potential impact from the ongoing construction.
The district administration said it had acted promptly after receiving information about cracks in the houses, with teams led by the Additional District Magistrate and Sub-Divisional Magistrate visiting the affected area and inspecting the properties.
On Monday, the Deputy Commissioner, Shimla Superintendent of Police, Additional District Magistrate (Protocol), Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Shimla Rural, and other officials also visited the area and interacted with residents to understand their concerns.
Kashyap assured residents that the administration was treating the matter seriously and that the safety of affected people and their property would not be compromised.
He said the administration was continuously monitoring the condition of the affected houses and would take appropriate measures as required.
The meeting was attended by Additional District Magistrate (Law and Order) Pankaj Sharma, Additional District Magistrate (Protocol) Gyan Sagar Negi, SDM Shimla Rural Manjeet Sharma, NHAI Project Director Anand Kumar and Deputy Manager Sumit Bansal, representatives of Gawar Construction Company and Bharat Construction, officials of Kala and other concerned departments.