Chandpur residents protest road closure for civilians in Palampur

Residents of two dozen villages of the Chandpur area of Palampur yesterday lodged a strong protest against the decision of local army authorities to close the Chandpur- Palampur road for civilian traffic forcing them to take a detour of 10 kilometers. Commuting if the road is not closed is just 500 meters.

Irked by the decision, over 150 residents gathered at Chandpur panchayat bhavan to lodge their protest against road closure. They said they had been using the road since 1945 when the army cantonment at Holta was set up. The then army authorities allowed the villagers to use the road passing through the cantonment since the village land had been acquired for the cantonment with the consent of local panchayats. Besides, the army authorities had promised all facilities to local residents.