Kokernag, Aug 3: The slow progress of work on the Sinthan-Kokernag–Islamabad (Anantnag) road is causing tremendous inconvenience to the locals here.
  Locals said that the work on the widening of road from Sinthan to Islamabad (Anantnag), which is part of the Kishtwar-Sinthan-Islamabad (Anantnag) mega road project was going on at snail’s place and it has already missed several deadlines even as people have to face tremendous inconvenience.
 “The project which is being undertaken by the BEACON was supposed to get accomplished by the year 2007. However, five years down the line it is far from completion,” said a resident Ghulam Nabi.
 He said that the people whose land came under the widening project have not been even compensated till date. “We are not able to make our work places in time due to the dilapidated condition of the road,” said Dr. Adil Wani,a resident of Kokernag.
  He said that it takes more than two hours to reach Islamabad (Anantnag) from Kokernag though it is barely a 16 Kilometer distance.
 Residents say that the problem compounds when they have to ferry the patients to hospitals in Islamabad (Anantnag).  “The patients and the expecting mothers undergo tremendous hardships in reaching to hospitals in Islamabad (Anantnag) as the road is bumpy and dotted with potholes,” said Feroze Ahmad.
 Residents complained that several commuters had developed respiratory disorders due to the dust arising from the road following movement of traffic. “There has been a steep rise in the number of patients suffering from respiratory diseases due to the inhalation of dust,” said a medico working in Sub-district hospital, Kokernag.
 The drivers say that they are reluctant to ply the vehicles on the route due to its pathetic condition. “Our vehicles have incurred huge losses because of the dilapidated condition of the road and as such most of the drivers are reluctant to ply vehicles on the Kokernag-Islamabad (Anantnag) route,” said a sumo driver Muhammad Lateef. He said that many of the drivers have also developed orthopedic disorders and backaches after travelling continuously on the route.

Lastupdate on : Fri, 3 Aug 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 3 Aug 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 4 Aug 2012 00:00:00 IST