Baramulla, Sep 1: The members of Traders Federation Baramulla along with locals Wednesday staged a protest demonstration against the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) authorities for the delay in initiating the reconstruction of the drain on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway at tehsil road Baramulla.
The protesters led by the president and vice president of the Traders Federation Baramulla assembled at the tehsil road and raised slogans against the executing agency for the delay.
“Over 25 days have passed since the faulty drain constructed by the BRO (Project Beacon) authorities over a decade back was dismantled for reconstruction. However, since then the drain has been left without starting any repair work, causing inconvenience to the pedestrians. The open drain has caused several mishaps which resulted in injuries to several persons,” Traders Federation Baramulla President Muhammad Ashraf said.
The protestors also accused the Baramulla district administration for their silence over the issue and demanded stern action against the executing agency for the delay.
Traders Federation Baramulla Vice President Tariq Ahmad Mughloo said, “Despite passing of over 25 days there is no sign of initiating reconstruction work. It shows how serious administration is in solving the problems of the common people.”
Expressing concern over the dilapidated condition of the drain, Muhammad Yaqoob of Rehmat Colony Baramulla said that they were unable to approach the main road as it had become extremely dangerous to cross it.
He said since the drain was dismantled for reconstruction, they are unable to receive LPG cylinders.
“The Baramulla district administration needs to make the BRO authorities accountable like other departments of the administration. First it constructed a faulty drain and then it is delaying its reconstruction after dismantling it. This is a serious crime. If the administration does not consider this issue on priority, then they don’t have any right to sit on the chair,” Yaqoob said.
The drain on the Srinagar-Baramulla highway from the General Bus Stand to the Post Office was constructed by the BRO authorities more than a decade ago.
“The main fault was that the drain was constructed above the surface level of the road, which is an engineering disaster. Instead of draining the rain water, the rain water gets accumulated on the road. The other fault is that it is a covered drain without any exit,” said Fayaz Ahmad, a civil society member.
The Baramulla district administration after receiving back-to-back complaints about the drain recently decided to reconstruct it.
The administrative officials directed the BRO authorities, who had earlier executed the job, to re-construct it in the interest of the people.
Following the district administration Baramulla’s intervention, the drain was dismantled at several places to pave way for its reconstruction.
However, over 25 days have passed and nothing has been done to reconstruct it.