Early Times Report
Budgam, May 12: People of Kralpora, Gopalpora and Wathoora, who have already staged protests over the dilapidated condition of Srinagar-Chadoora road, that links the summer capital city with Chadoora, Charar-i-Sharief and tourist destination of Yusmarg, have now warned the authorities concerned to intensify their stir in case the repair work was not carried outwithin one week.
"If the work on the broken road was not started within a week, we will be forced to further intensify our struggle," they said.
They alleged that the authorities were paying no attention towards undertaking necessary repairs of the road.
The residents of the three localities had assembled on the busy Srinagar-Chadoora road on Monday morning and protested against the authorities, particularly R&B department and Economic Reconstruction Agency (ERA) for not undertaking blacktopping of the 15 km road which was damaged severely at more than a dozen places.
"We are facing severe problems as tourist inflow to Yusmarg has receded this year as ERA damaged Srinagar-Chadoora-Yusmarg road. Taxi drivers are reluctant to come to Yusmarg as road is in a very bad shape at Wathoora, Kralpora, Gopalpora and other places," said Mohammad Amin, who runs a restaurant at Yusmarg.
"The road was earlier blacktopped in 2008 by ERA and since then authorities have not at all undertaken any repairs. The area is represented by Chadoora MLA and ex-revenue minister Javaid Mustafa Mir. Agriculture production minister G N Lone Hanjura also hails from the same area and finance minister too has represented this area in the past, but nobody is bothered to come to our rescue," said Mohammad Yousuf Waza, a resident of Wathoora.
"At Gopalpora, Wathoora and Kralpora, the road has potholes. We appeal to the chief minister to intervene personally and ensure that the road is repaired at the earliest," said Bashir Ahmad, a local.
According to senior PDP leader Nazir Ahmad Yatoo, the chief minister had a few weeks ago assured him that work on the road would start from May 15.
Ali Mohammad Dar of NC has also urged the government, particularly R&B minister, to undertake repairs of the road without any delay.
It is pertinent to mention here that bridge on Doodh Ganga Nullah in Chadoora which got damaged during the September 2014 floods, was also yet to be repaired, resulting in problems to the people.
People of Chadoora and its adjoining areas are experiencing tough times as repair work on the main bridge connecting Chadoora with Charar-i-Sharief town in central Kashmir's Budgam district is also yet to start. Chadoora bridge was reconstructed only a few years ago by PWD. Locals alleged that sub-standard material was used in the construction work which lad to severe damage to the bridge. Another group of people alleged that illegal shopping complexes constructed on the river banks choked Doodh Ganga Nullah as a result of which the mighty flood waters damaged a pillar of the bridge. |
