By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 15 Apr: The Nainital High Court has upheld District Magistrate Savin Bansal’s decision to prohibit the entry of heavy vehicles at the gas warehouse located on Tapovan Road, Raipur, Dehradun. This ruling brings respite to local residents who had felt troubled by the movement and safety risks and structural damage posed by the movement of large trucks in the densely populated areas and had approached the District Magistrate some time ago, who had banned the entry of heavy vehicles in this area.
It may be recalled that, on 18 January this year, the residents of Friends’ Colony on Tapovan Road had filed a complaint with the District Administration, alleging that large trucks delivering gas cylinders daily to the Indane Gas warehouse were damaging buildings in the narrow streets and posing a threat to their safety. They had also claimed that the warehouse, established before residential development in the area, was now surrounded by a dense population, rendering the continued entry of heavy vehicles unsafe for the residents. The residents had further informed the DM that large trucks delivering gas cylinders, approximately 300-400 daily, frequently enter the narrow streets of the colony, causing damage to boundary walls and balconies of houses. The residents expressed concerns that the presence of such a gas warehouse, with a substantial stock of filled cylinders, poses a significant risk of a major incident in this densely inhabited area.
Acting on the complaint, District Magistrate Savin Bansal had instructed the SDM and the District Supply Officer (DSO) to conduct an on-site investigation. The findings, submitted on 30 January, claimed that the gas deliveries were being made using large vehicles carrying up to 360 cylinders, leading to constant damage to nearby structures.
In response to the investigation, the DM had immediately banned the use of large trucks for gas deliveries and mandated that supply to the warehouse be carried out via smaller vehicles with a capacity of 288 cylinders. According to the DM, this order had been issued in interest of public safety and aimed to mitigate further damage to the area. The gas warehouse, operated by M/s Sahakari Bazaar Gas Service, serves approximately 11,500 registered consumers.
Now that the High Court has also upheld the DM’s direction, the residents of areas where such gas godowns may be located can feel hugely relieved.
