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| DODA DISCONNECT | | Marriages being put off, life slows down | |
SHARIQ NABI
Doda, Feb 19: Weddings, religions functions, developmental works, schooling and what not –the road connection snapping has thrown the twin mountainous districts of Kishtwar and Doda back to Stone Age.
From marriages to construction works all has been postponed because of blockade as the material required for these works and functions are not available. Essentials for weddings, of course, are not on the essential lists of government and therefore people are either putting off or making do with whatever is available.
It is not only daily need commodities which are running short in the market but other construction material like cement, pipes, tiles, iron rods etc too have badly affected the contractors. These all things happens not all of sudden but with the passage of day and inability of the administration for providing sufficient stocks for constructing projects and revival of dates for accomplishing the 1600 meters road for connecting Doda. Both things are directly proportional to each other, as much time government is taking for connecting Doda the dead line for the construction works will get extended.
With the current situation the much hyped under construction Ganpath Bridge, which is going to act as the main connector for Doda town with the rest of the state, too has badly affected and for the last 15 days no stone has been turned for its construction. During a visit at the bridge site by this correspondent he found all the labour absent except one Kuber Drudya who too was having nap there. When enquired about the construction work he said that since the blockade of road the cement has not supplied as a result all labour go on leave and no work is done over this bridge. He added that for the last 15 days no work has been done over the bridge.
It is worth mentioning that this bridge is planned as an alternate for the Pul-Doda Bridge which is supposed to get submerged in River Chenab to connect Doda town with rest of the world. Already are suspicious over the slow pace of work on this bridge and now here people think that even after the restoration of national highway they are losing because the dead line for this bridge too will be extended.
Mohammed Iqbal Khan, a contractor said he had taken the project of Doda-Bharth road widening and with snapping of road connectivity the project get postponed for additional four months because they were forced to sent 1500 labourers on leave. He added that keeping in view the significance of the project they are transshipping cement and diesel for construction and for which they are paying additional of Rs 90 per cement bag and Rs 6 per liter from his pocket.
Tilak Raj Thakur, Manager Khan Plaza hotel said that since blockade the number of visitors has decreased and booking for banquet hall has been postponed. He added that their banquet hall was advanced booked for marriage functions but due to road snapping the functions were delayed keeping in view the inconvenience to their guest while transshipping at Assar.
It is not only the reason for extending the date of marriages or project works. Even if material is present in the market their prices are escalated and are available in less quantity as well.
In this connection when shoppers were contacted they said that they are paying additional of Rs 150 per quintal for transshipping at Assar and why they pay the same from the pocket. The prices of daily need commodities are soaring high only because the shoppers are transshipping their goods on their own expanses and government is not paying any heed towards it. Medicines are being transhifted and burden of extra charges is being laid over the common masses.
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