Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Oct 18: Much to the inconvenience of the people, several roads in South Kashmir’s Anantnag town have been left strewn with deep ditches and potholes after they were dug up to lay underground sewerage pipes earlier this year.
Several important roads including KP Road, Court Road and roads in Kadipora, Sarnal, Achabal Adda and Bakhshiabad are in dilapidated condition, causing problems for thousands of people living in the areas.
With an estimated cost of over Rs 17 crores, the work on the underground drainage system was taken up by Urban Environment Engineering Department (UEED) under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT). During the execution of the project, the roads were dug and left unattended.
Although the work was completed within one month the roads were left in poor condition with people blaming the authorities for worsening the traffic in the town. “The roads are vital for the connectivity of the town and leaving them in poor condition highlights the official apathy,” Mohammad Shaban, a shopkeeper from the town said.
Shopkeepers and residents said that the R&B Department has shown lassitude and that has left the whole area in despair. “The roads are in poor condition and that is causing huge problems for the people living in the area. This speaks the seriousness of authorities towards the development of our area,” Shoaib Ahmad, a local said.
People of the area lamented that they have repeatedly raised the issue with the authorities concerned but nothing has changed for them for the last six months.
An official at the Roads and Buildings Department said that the work of the UEED is incomplete at some places and they are waiting for its completion. ” At places like K P Road and Sarnal-Kadipora they have asked us to wait. At Mehandi Kadal stretch the executing agency had created a swamp which needs to be taken care of before blacktopping,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer Anantnag, Sarfaraz Ahmad Bhat, when contacted said that they have already paid a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the Roads and Buildings Department for the damages. “We have already paid the compensation and the process of macadamisation is already underway,” he said, adding the R&B was slow in carrying the repair work.
Follow our WhatsApp channel