Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR May 5: The 11-kilometer stretch of road from Khag to Aripathan in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district was supposed to be improved through widening and macadamizing under the Central Roads Fund scheme seven years ago is still in a terrible state, causing immense inconvenience to commuters.
According to officials familiar with the details, the road was supposed to be widened to 40 feet out of which 26 feet were to be macadamized. However, it has been seven years since the work started, and only 4 km of the road has been macadamized, leaving the remaining stretch in bad condition.
They said that the contractor responsible for the road construction has started earthwork and widening of the road, but the progress is slow. “The estimated cost of the project was Rs 11 crore, and it is imperative that the authorities ensure the proper utilization of funds and timely completion of the project,” he said.
Khag is a hilly Tehsil headquarters and is the gateway to the Tosaimadan tourist destination. The slow progress on the road construction is discouraging tourists from visiting the area, causing a significant loss to the local economy. The poor condition of the road is also taking a heavy toll on the health of travelers.
“We urge the authorities to expedite the construction work and make the road functional at the earliest. The poor condition of the road is not only affecting travelers’ health but also the economy of the area,” Mushtaq Ahmad, another local said.
Rafiq Ahmad, the chief engineer of the Road and Buildings Department, told Excelsior that the project had been stalled for a significant period of time, but it was resumed thanks to their efforts in removing all obstacles. “The work is ongoing and moving along extremely nice. The bad weather might be to blame for the tardy development, but we’re working on it and will be done soon,” he said.
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