People of Keran in this district Tuesday accused the government of ignoring their persistent demand for construction of a tunnel at Sadhna top.
The aggrieved people saidthe road from Keran to Kupwara remained closed for a month and they had beensuffering immensely due to absence of road connectivity to the districtheadquarters.
“Thebody of a slain police man Naseer Ahmad Kohli who was killed in an encounter atBabagund on Friday reached his native village Gundi Gujrain after four days asthe road connecting Keran with Kupwara is closed for a month,” the locals said,adding that the body was airlifted.
“Everyyear we lose our loved ones in the avalanches, road accidents and during dutyoutside their native places. We face immense hardships due to the closure ofroad,” said Zubair Ahmad of Karnah.
Last month Abdul Rashid,another policeman from Tangdhar was killed in an encounter at Pulwama. “Hisbody reached his native village after two days as the road was closed and his bodywas airlifted,” locals said.
“Thisyear many people from here died at Kupwara. We kept on waiting here for weeksto get their bodies. We repeatedly asked the authorities to construct a tunnelto solve this problem, but our requests always fall on deaf ears,” said NazirAhmad of Tangdhar.
Theresidents have intensified their demand for the construction of the tunnelsince 5 January when 11 persons died in a snow avalanche near the Sadhna top.
“The construction of 6.5 kmSadhna tunnel will connect thousands of residents of Keran with the rest ofKashmir throughout the year. We are demanding this tunnel since 1947 yetnothing has happened,” Nazir added.
According to locals theconstruction of the tunnel was the only option to ensure round the year connectivityof the region with the district headquarters and rest of the state.
Theproposed tunnel will provide all weather access to remote areas of the Karnahincluding Nachiyan, Gabra, Kandi, Taadd, Triboni, Jadda, Hajitra, Dhani Teetwaland many other far flung villages, which otherwise remain cutoff in winter.
“Weappeal to the government to start the work on the tunnel as early as possiblein the larger interests of people of Karnah,” Javaid Ahmad said.