Srinagar: Various vital roads in the summer capital are in a dilapidated condition giving a tough time to locals and commuters.
Some important link roads are dotted with potholes hampering smooth vehicular movement.
Lasjan-Rambagh road, Sumberbug road, vital link roads of Batamaloo, Sanat Nagar, Indra Nagar and others are in bad condition.
Potholes dotting the Lasjan-Rambagh force vehicles to ply at a snail’s pace. The road connects scores of localities with city centre and tertiary care hospitals.
Farooq Ahmad Wani of Syed Abad Soiteng said the bad condition of road has become a nuisance.
“Due to potholes, accidents frequently occur on the road,” he said. He added that the vital road turn into a cesspool after rains.
“This route is also used by ambulances ferrying patients from south Kashmir to tertiary care hospitals in Srinagar,” he said.
Locals of Padshaibagh said that the traffic rush has increased on this route.
“The road is currently emanating dust which enters into residential houses and also makes it difficult to breathe especially for those who are commuting on foot and riding two-wheelers,” locals complained.
Residents of interior areas of Batamaloo said that vital link road connecting city areas with bypass road is giving tough time as authorities have failed to carry out necessary repairs of the roads.
“It seems authorities have forgotten this road and left the people to suffer,” they said.
“The bad condition of roads not only gives the commuters a tough time but it also consumes a lot of their time in reaching from one place to another. The passenger vehicles have suffered damages due to bad condition of the roads,” they said.
A road stretch at Shah Mohalla Nawabazar near SMHS hospital has become a cause of trouble for commuters due to potholes.
Due to potholes, auto-rickshaws ferrying patients to the hospital frequently overturn and two-wheelers skid, causing injuries to commuters.
“The road was dug up for augmentation of water supply in the area two months back. However, the road is yet to be repaired. Though the matter was brought into the notice of the concerned authorities but till date no action has been taken,” they said.
“We appeal concerned authorities to take necessary measures including macadamization at the earliest to avoid any road accident or injury to any pedestrians,” they added.
Chief Engineer Roads and Buildings Showkat Jeelani said that a tender for Lasjan-Rambagh has been floated. “The work on this road will begin shortly,” he said.
Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu said that link roads having a width of less than 15 feet have been transferred to SMC. “But no funds have been provided for repairing. As of now, we have floated tenders for repairing of some link roads and on which work will start shortly,” he said while replying to a question.