Damaged 5 years ago, retaining wall in old town Baramulla poses threat to lives

Baramulla, Nov 13: The residents of Mohalla Qazi Hamam in the old town Baramulla area of north Kashmir are living on the edge as a retaining wall, damaged four years ago, remains unattended by the Roads and Building (R&B) Department, Baramulla.

The deteriorating condition of the wall, situated near Gurdwara Chatti Padshahi, has raised concerns among the locals, who fear an imminent threat to human lives due to potential shooting stones and landslides.

The damaged retaining wall, constructed for the safety of people alongside the Bagh-e-Islam road, serves as a crucial link between Drangbal and other areas.
“The hilly terrain, already prone to landslides and shooting stones, has further heightened the risk to the community,” said Waseem Ahmad, a local.

The residents said that despite repeated appeals to the Roads and Buildings (R&B) Department, there was no action taken on the ground.
“Knowing the sensitivity of the area very well, the department has repeatedly offered excuses, either of tendering issues or something else, for the last four years,” said Umar Ahmad, a youngster from the area.

The locals said that the recent incidents of shooting stones raining down have exacerbated the situation.
“The remnants of the damaged wall were further compromised, resulting in a potential hazard to those travelling through the area,” Ahmad said.

The locals said that the R&B Department was fully aware of the area’s vulnerability but it has failed to prioritise the reconstruction of the retaining wall.
Recently, a resident lodged a complaint on the grievance portal of the Lieutenant Governor who said that the R&B Department has claimed the work was in the tendering process and would be addressed in the next financial year.

“However, the ground reality contradicts these assurances, leading to accusations of misinformation," Waseem Ahmad said.
The residents accused the R&B Baramulla of spreading misinformation on the online grievance portal.
Notably, hoarding has been already installed by the R&B Department advising people to take “self-protection accordingly” which has heightened the apprehensions of the community.

“The residents now live in constant fear. We urge the authorities to take immediate action before any untoward incident occurs,” the locals said.
The residents said that with winter approaching, the vulnerability of the area to natural disasters underscores the urgency for the R&B Department to prioritise the reconstruction of the damaged retaining wall in Muhalla Qazi Hamam.

The Executive Engineer R&B Department Baramulla Rayees Makhdoomi told Greater Kashmir that the area would always be prone to shooting stones even after the construction of the retaining wall.
“The retaining wall will not stop shooting stones. And if the department has installed a hoarding there, it means the area is not safe for living. If shooting stones occur frequently at any time, the residents will need to relocate,” he said.

However, the Executive Engineer said that the department would try to resolve the problem and reconstruct the damaged portion of the retaining wall.
“But the retaining wall will not stop the shooting stones because they come from a height,” he said.