Haryana Mayhem exposes Shimla-Poanta Shaib Road Chinks

By Neeraj Bajpai

It was a nail biting evening in a posh hotel at cool winds swept mall road in Shimla two days ago. We were anxiously planning safe return to National capital before any conflagration of violence by devotees of baba Ram Rahim, now convicted in rape case,engulfs all routes. 

No authentic information on real situation on the ground was available, and rumors mills were churning out at a mad pace the worst scaring scenarios from Thursday itself and there was virtual panic among tourists in the hill state.

It was Thursday morning, a day before the judgement date, We hurriedly planned to embark on a safe escape route to Delhi by our own vehicle rather being stuck for days together in hills of Himachal Pradesh. A forceful torrent of advisories were being fired on us in those tense moments, but we chose to take presumed safe route via Nahan –Paounta Sahib-Dehradun.

It was an adventure of different type: Courtesy HP government’s poor maintenance of roads.

We sped away in morning in our car but got stuck for  more than an

hour due to an accident of a truck on Shimla-Solan route. Traffic was at a snail pace as apples laden trucks were moving at a dead slow speed.

In these tense moments, We entered to bumpy –dusty streets of Solan near Sabzi Mandi . It was a pathetic spectacle of gateway to one of the iconic tourists’ spot of country: Shimla.

Our Chandigarh taxi service driver refused to drive further at this point  as he was in tearing hurry to reach his home before the situation goes out of control on Friday, But An enterprising close relative took reins in his hands and chose to drive us from Nahan route.

Driven by state government’s oft repeated remarks that the situation is well under control, relatives and acquaintances kept suggesting take Panchkula route.

 Solan- Nahan route is considered to be good and safe route but frequent landslides kept us on toes. A confidant driver on wheels was warding off usual fears, saying it is routine. All seizes of boulders from hills were rolling down on the single a narrow hill road. These landslides were virtually threating possibility of any mishap, but it was nature’s play.

As we entered Nahan, it was pathetic, roads inside the city were poorly maintained. We snaked through pot holed streets. It looked it will be better after a few minutes’ drive, it,however,was worst.

People in passing cars were seen hurling abuses on the state government as their vehicles tried to negotiate pot holed road which had virtually ankle deep slush and mud. For a few kilometers, it was hell wrought on the road.Tyres were giving slip on the dicey track. 

After slushy road, more scaring scenes were getting unfolded. Heavy boulders were rolling on the narrow road. At some stage, it appeared that anything could happen.Presence of local civic staff, engaged in removing these boulders and clearing roads, was instilling a feeling of safety amid continuous drizzle.

Thus Shimla to Dehardun via Solan, Nahan , Dagshai , Panota Sahib is unique in more ways than one. If condition of road is bad in shape,the bounty of nature is maddening. One can witness thick green dense green forests in the valley. Locals claim to see leopards and other wild life including bears near” Baan “trees bushes frequently. Such scenic beauty one can hardly see on the usual road trips. Because of rainy season, everything looked bathed in fresh water and sunshine.Pine trees had green shoots and leaves. Low hanging clouds with unbelievable blue sky background were bewitching.

By the time we reached the national capital, tension was palpable on the route and worst fears of violence came true with reports of more than 30 deaths large scale arson ,police firing , stone pelting, tear gas bursting , curfew orders imposition in Haryana.