Commuters face tough time due to dilapidated Handwara-Sopore highway

Kupwara, Aug 25: The Handwara-Sopore road which happens to be the main connecting road for the people of Kupwara district remains in pathetic condition with the result the travellers commuting on this road were suffering badly.

The road that connects dozens of villages is in shambles and is dotted with huge potholes on multiple spots, exposing the tall claims of authorities about improving road connectivity.

“Though considered to be a main connecting road to areas from Handwara to Sopore, the road however has been left unattended by the concerned department, giving tough time to commuters,” the locals told Greater Kashmir.

“The pathetic condition of the road has become a severe issue, but authorities are watching miseries of people as mute spectators and doing nothing with regard to addressing the issue,” Congress leader, Irshad Ganie from Pohrupeth Langate told Greater Kashmir.

“Commuting on this road has become time consuming. Earlier it would take us thirty minutes to reach Sopore but now the time has doubled which really tells upon the lives of people. The students, employees and even businessmen lose precious time while commuting on this road,” he added.

"Due to the pathetic condition of the  road we are forced to take the Baramulla route every day. It seems that this road has not been macadamised for the last one decade," said a senior officer posted at Handwara.

Residents of both the districts including Kupwara and Baramulla have appealed to authorities to macadamise the road at the earliest so that they can heave a sigh of relief.

When Greater Kashmir brought this issue into the notice of Superintending Engineer (SE) Roads and Buildings Kupwara, Ram Lal, he said that a tender worth Rs 7.5 crore for macadamisation of the road has been floated and hopefully within fifteen days macadamisation would be started.

He acknowledged the hardships being faced by commuters due to the pathetic condition of the road. However he was quick enough to add that the sufferings of travelers will end soon after the macadamisation is completed.