The residents of Babanad hamlet in south Kashmir’s Shopian district have accused the authorities of failing to repair a vital road stretch in their area which is causing immense hardships to the locals.
According to the residents, at least one kilometer long stretch of road connecting Tuckroo village with Tangwani has multiple potholes, causing trouble to both commuters and pedestrians.
Iftikhar Hussain Shah, a local resident told Greater Kashmir that the road had not been repaired for past many years. “We brought the issue to the notice of authorities umpteen times but nothing has been done so far”, he said, adding that water accumulates in the potholes making the journey on it more difficult. Iftikhar said that the poor condition of the road also exposes the local residents to health hazards as the vehicles kick up clouds of dust while passing through it.
A resident said that during the first edition of Back to Village (B2V) programme they took up the issue with the officials but to no avail. Many residents said that due to this battered stretch, risk of accidents particularly during the peak harvesting season increases manifold.
“The odds of fruit laden lorries turning turtle on the road are very high. More often than not, they get stuck in the potholes,” said Shariq Ahmad Shah, who was accompanied by a group of miffed residents.
Aqib Mushtaq, a young resident said that the road was also proving dangerous for the two-wheeler riders. “The bumps throw the unsuspected riders off balance and cause accidents”, added Aqib.
Speaking to Greater Kashmir, Mohammad Ayoub Wani, Executive Engineer R & B, Shopian said that the road will be repaired soon as the department has already taken up the tendering process of the road. “The work will be tendered out and executed very soon”, he added.