Srinagar, Aug 3: A year long delay to get a vital alternative link to Airport Road macadamized may not be that big an issue for the department which miserably failed to complete 18 month Hyderpora flyover project even in five years. But the Roads and Building (R&B) department’s delay to blacktop the Rawalpora-Pirbagh canal road is causing huge inconvenience to travellers particularly those coming, or going to the Srinagar International Airport.

THE PROPOSAL
 Highly placed sources said given the fact Airport Road, Hyderpora square onwards, was the was the only link to the aerodrome, the government had last year sought immediate  macadamization of the two odd mile alternative link road which runs parallel to the flood spill channel.
 Sources said the state police had insisted that there needs to be alternative to the Hyderpora stretch of the Airport Road and had got the requisite funds approved for the project.
 But till now, there has been no breakthrough.

THE SLUMBER
 Earlier this year the state government had to face severe embarrassment when due to construction of drain on the Airport Road, the traffic was diverted via the canal road locally known as Kacha Road due to its bad condition.
 For around two months, thousands of vehicles were forced to ply on the dusty bumpy track while the experts had suggested that the road should have been blacktopped before going for the diversion.
 The Divisional Commissioner, Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, who has been personally monitoring the City developments, is understood to have taken up the blacktopping matter with the R&B people, more than once.

THE IRONY
 Pertinently, a delay in the Hyderpora flyover has been a main cause of traffic mess on the busy highway square where the vehicles are seen stuck in longs jams, at times for around an hour.
 Observers said given this “inconvenience because of the R&B endeavour”, the department should have prioritized the link road blacktopping so that the Sanat Nagar square route could be utilized.
 “At least this could provide some respite to the travellers particularly those heading towards aerodrome for a flight,” said a retired Traffic police official requesting not to be named.

THE ROADSIDE BRAWLS
 Sources said given the exigency of reaching the airport in time, the passengers often end up in roadside brawls when at the eleventh hour they get stuck in Hyderpora mess.
 “This is despite the fact that we prioritize the movement of traffic heading towards the Airport,” said a beat constable at the Hyderpora square.
 “Its quite obvious too lose temper when there’s an apprehension of missing a flight,” said Gowhar Ali of Zaukra who once “missed the flight because of traffic mess enroute”.

GOVT SPEAKS
 R&B officials said the blacktopping proposal was “very much in place.”
 “But before blacktopping we have to go for a special hi-tech treatment of the road so that it doesn’t get damaged due water in this low lying area,” said a R&B official requesting not to be named.
 Despite repeated attempts the R&B Chief Engineer didn’t respond to phone calls.
 When contacted the Minister of State for R&B, Javed Ahmed Dar said the matter had to come to his notice.
 “We have issued tenders and work will soon be started,” the minister said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 3 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 4 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST