KINS Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 15: Thousands of people continue to suffer in district Budgam as the
10- km stretch road from Khag to Aripathan in district Budgam is in shambles.
The work on construction of the road was started in 2016 under a centrally sponsored scheme with an estimated cost of Rs 11 crore.
Although the road was developed over the years but is waiting for macdamisation for the last one year.
“The Khag to Aripathan road is in a bad condition and is taking a heavy toll on the health of travelers. As per the project report the road was to be widened 40 feet. But in some places, it is only 15 feet as the government has failed to provide proper compensation to people whose land comes under this road. Even the contractor told us that he won’t work until his payment is not released,” locals told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS).
Haji Ghulam Hassan Malik, a senior citizen of Khag said, “At least 70,000 people suffer as the road is in shambles. For the last one year, authorities have failed to macdamise the road. It has developed huge potholes and has become unbearable for people to travel on this road.”
The road also leads to Tosamaidan, the Kashmir’s biggest meadow which was vacated by the Army in 2014. The authorities could not bring this destination on the tourism map as it sans basic infrastructure.
The Khag was the assembly constituency of former chief minister Omar Abdullah.
Another local of Khag, Mushtaq Malik said, “It takes us hours to cover this 10-km bumpy road. Nobody is bothered to pay heed towards our inconveniences. The road turns muddy during rains. The road has been abandoned by the authorities.”
Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings Department Kashmir Sami Arif said the Khag- Aripathan road comes under Central Roads Funds (CRF).
“I will see and ensure work is restarted at the earliest,” he told KINS.
