Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 29: A 2.5-kilometre-long road connecting several areas in Shah Muhalla Anderwan, in district Ganderbal, has been awaiting repairs for over a decade.
Locals told ‘Excelsior’ that the road was constructed under the MGNREGA scheme in 2009, but no further work was carried out to make it motorable.
“In 2014, the road was handed over to the R&B Department for improvement. But since then, nothing has been done. We’ve been running from pillar to post, requesting that the road be made better,” said Hafeez Ullah, a local resident.
He said they had recently approached the authorities again and were informed that the road has now been brought under NABARD. “But the scheme lacks funds, and we don’t think they’ll be able to take up the work anytime soon,” he added.
Another resident, Abdul Hameed, said that in 2014, after approaching the R&B Department, some work was carried out but left midway.
“Elections were due that year, and we had approached Mian Altaf. The R&B Department even created a DPR worth over Rs 3 crore, but despite that, the work never took off. We were left with no option but to keep knocking on doors,” he said.
Notably, the road connects areas that are home to nearly 300 households, where residents face difficulties, especially during emergencies and in the rainy season.
“During rainfall, the road becomes extremely difficult to navigate. In case of an emergency-like taking a pregnant woman to the hospital-we are left to suffer. Despite repeated appeals, the authorities remain unmoved,” the residents said.
They also alleged that the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had visited the area ahead of elections and made promises, but has not returned since.
Meanwhile, officials said that the road project, now worth Rs 3.5 crore, has been resubmitted under NABARD-31, and they are hopeful of its approval.
“We had earlier submitted it under NABARD-30, but it wasn’t approved. We’ve now resubmitted it under NABARD-31 and are hopeful that it will be sanctioned soon,” said Hamid Iqbal, Executive Engineer, R&B.
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