Reports said, “The mechanical engineering department wascarrying out snow clearance operation on the Mughal Road and the men andmachinery had reached the 30 kilometre-point from Bufliyaz, the starting pointof the road from Poonch.”
However, on Tuesday morning, a large number of contractorsassembled at Chandimarh and blocked the road and did not let the department tomove towards the Mughal Road for snow clearance, reports added.
The contractors are protesting against the “delay on thepart of state government in clearing the liabilities of works executed by themin recent years”.
Tariq Khan, assistant engineer of mechanical engineeringdepartment, told Greater Kashmir that on Tuesday and Wednesday, the departmentwas not allowed to carry out snow clearance and work remained suspended.
He said, “The sub-divisional magistrate Surankote, SaleemQureshi, also tried to pacify the protesters, but they refused to allow snowclearance operation on the Mughal Road. Later, the SDM informed the higherauthorities about the issue.”