Did not assault NHAI officials, FIR a ploy to divert attention from building collapse: Himachal Minister

“Nothing happened, there has been no assault. Those officers who made the allegations were not even admitted to the hospital. An attempt has been made to divert the attention of people from negligence of NHAI resulting in the collapse of the five storey building,” the minister told media persons.

The alleged incident occurred when the minister was inspecting the building collapse site at Bhattakufar in his Kasumpti constituency. The owner of the building had claimed negligence by NHAI and the company involved in the four-lane project. Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday condemned the “heinous assault” on Jindal and spoke to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, urging ‟immediate and exemplary action against all perpetrators”.

‟The Union Minister, sitting in Delhi, has no idea of the actual situation. I will meet Nitin Gadkari and explain what actually was happening on the ground in the state. The Union Minister is being misguided by the NHAI officials,” Singh said, adding that he also appraised CM Sukhu about the facts pertaining to the incident.

Singh said that about 150 people including women and forest, revenue and other officials were present at the time of the incident, and if the officials were assaulted, “why are there no eyewitnesses”.

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He further accused the two NHAI officials of misbehaving with public. At the building collapse site, they were “smiling and saying compensation would be given”, the minister alleged, saying that their behaviour and words were “inappropriate”, following which the locals lodged complaints against them, and cases were registered. “This is not just about financial compensation. It’s about human lives, their homes, and their emotions. What compensation can justify the loss of a family home built over a lifetime?” he asked.

While stating that the FIR does not imply guilt, Singh claimed widespread irregularities in road construction works by the National Highway Authority of India and called its officials the “most corrupt in the country”.

The minister further alleged a nexus between private contractors, central government agencies and NHAI officials and claimed ‟a massive scam worth crores” in the Shimla-Kalka four-lane project.

He said that in regions like Shimla-Parwanoo, Mandi, Kangra, and Jogindernagar, reckless slope cutting and inadequate construction of retaining walls have resulted in recurring landslides and collapse of buildings.

“Cutting is being done at near 90-degree angles while retaining walls are only 8 to 10 ft high. I would request Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to come here and see the deeds of the NHAI,” he said. He claimed that over 700 complaints have been filed in Shimla district alone with SDMs and Deputy Commissioners, yet no concrete action has been taken. ‟Dozens of houses have collapsed between Shimla and Shogi due to reckless cutting. When one such building collapsed, officials were busy attending meetings, and no action was taken. Files are shuffled to cover up matters,” he claimed and asked how much additional funding NHAI had received for slope protection and how transparently those funds were utilised.

He alleged that compensation was being promised by the NHAI without actual disbursal. “There are scores of complaints against NHAI. Day before yesterday, officials were holding a disaster management meeting — but what good is that after 20 years of negligence,” he asked.

He said, “We are not against development, but we oppose corrupt officials who are building substandard retaining walls and colluding with contractors. I will contest the fabricated case against me. NHAI has gone 30 meters beyond the permitted limit for four-lane construction, in violation of norms”.

Reached for reaction, Regional Officer, NHAI (Kalka-Shimla Section), Col Ajay Bargoti (Rtd) said, “I heard part of the press conference by the minister. We will definitely respond to what he said about NHAI. We will respond before the appropriate forum”.