Key Pulwama village road troubles residents

The residents of Wahibugh village in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district say the appalling condition of a road connecting it to other areas has beset them with difficulties.

The nearly six kilometers long stretch that connects thesleepy village with district headquarters is dotted with potholes and ditches.

   

Residents say the road was last repaired a decade ago.

“Authorities have completely ignored this road. Forpast ten years it has never been repaired. We approached the concerned onesumpteen times but to no avail,” Javed Ahmad, a miffed resident said.

The road is quite significant as it also connects thedistrict headquarter with neighbouring Budgam district through the Wahibughvillage.

“Due to the rather bad condition of the road, peoplegenerally take a lengthy circuitous route to get to Budgam,” Ahmad said.

Fayaz Ahmad, another resident said that it took him around30 minutes to reach the district headquarters.

“In the first place, the vehicles ply at a very slowspeed on this bumpy road. Second, a vehicle has to stop to give way to anotherone coming from the opposite direction,” he said. 

Fayaz added that transporters are reluctant to ply on thestretch of the road and charge comparatively high fares.

A local cab driver wishing not to be named told GreaterKashmir that due to the bumpy dirt track their vehicles suffered damage andneeded frequent repairs.

“This is the only reason we charge a slightly highfare,” he said.  The farming villageof around 300 households suffers more during the harvesting season when the badcondition of the road makes fruit laden trucks prone to accidents.

“Some commercial transporters avoid servicing thearea,” said Ghulam Mohammad, an orchardist.

Mohammad Yousuf Tramboo, Executive Engineer R&B divisionPulwama said that under the “languishing projects” scheme theconstruction of the road had been approved and tenders were alreadyissued.  “The construction work willbe taken up soon” Tramboo said.

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