Faizan Ahmad
Srinagar June 28 (KINS): At least 70,000 people suffer as Khag-Aripathan road in Budgam district is in shambles.
The road is a vital link to villages including Hazarpora, Kandama, Gumboora, Nasarpora, Lookipora, Suresh, Poshkar.
However it has developed huge potholes and has become unbearable for people to travel on this road.
Mushtaq Ahmad a local of Khag told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), “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.”
The work on construction of the road was started in 2016 under a centrally sponsored scheme with an estimated cost of Rs 13 crore but was abandoned.
Now macdamisation has been started from June 16. However locals complain about inferior quality material being used. The locals recently complained to the concerned authorities that the contractor was using inferior quality material. The contractor then assured the locals that there won’t be any comprise in the quality of the material. However, on Thursday evening, the contractor took away the machinery from the site. Following which people took to the streets and protested and with the intervention of police, the machinery was brought back. People are demanding proper testing of the material being used in the macdamisation and seeking intervention of Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings Department.
Locals say that Government has decided to macdamise only 6 kilometres 4 Km from Khag to Suresh and 2 Km from Aripathan to Gumrooa.
They have appealed Chief Engineer R&B for completion of macdimisation of road from Khag to Aripathan with proper drainage by lying of iron pipes on the road so that this macadamized road will not get damaged during rainy and winter season.
The road also leads to Tosamaidan, the Kashmir’s biggest meadow which was vacated by the Army in 2014.
“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 and structures including houses, shops and other structures comes under this road,” said Haji Ghulam Hassan Malik, a senior citizen of Khag.
“Recently Govt. released compensation in favour of landowners of Khag area only, while compensation of houses, shops and other structures and apple orchard land of Naserpora, Suresh and Palpora have not been released so far. Even High Court directed Govt. for proper compensation in favour of effected persons. These compensation files are lying with the Chief Engineer,” he said.
Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings Department Showkat Jeelani said the macdamisation of road is underway. “The road is being properly developed. All issues of people are being looked into,” Jeelani said. (KINS)
