Dilapidated condition of Bandipora's Nadihal angers villagers

The dilapidated condition of Nadihal village of north Kashmir's Bandipora district is stirring anger among the locals who seek prompt redressal from the administration. Located on Bandipora-Srinagar road in the outskirts of main Bandipora town and just a few kilometres from the district headquarters, the condition of the area has not only gone "unnoticed" but "heartbreakingly ignored" despite all the officers using the road for the daily commute, locals complained to Greater Kashmir.

"The drains are spilling over with garbage and unwanted water frequently inundating road stretches during a minor drizzle or a blockade," Bilal Ahamd, a villager, said. A local parent accompanying him shared that the "contaminated and foul-smelling water also disrupts the education of the children" at Government Girls High School, located on the roadside.

The locals said although they have tried to clean the drains "on our own on many occasions," they need repairs to regulate the flow of water to solve the issue, however, "no representation has been entertained by the administration," Shahnawaz Ahmad, another villager said. With a famous natural water spring also located on the road, locals make a beeline to get drinking water from here. Commuters are also seen making a pit stop to quench their thirst here. However, locals say that "contamination poses a threat to this natural asset too."

Besides this, locals also complain about the worse condition of the footpaths, which they say have become nearly impossible for pedestrians to walk on.

"This being a busy road stretch, authorities need to renovate and redesign the footpath for the public good," locals said, adding that "Many accidents have occurred previously due to shrinking and dilated footpaths which the threat continues to loom over."  "With the majority of the public offices, schools, and market area located on the roadside, the area witnesses large public rush. Keeping in consideration the concerns of locals and for the safety of children, footpaths must be renovated and reconstructed," Ahamd said.

Moreover, the street lights are also either dysfunctional or haven't been installed. "This issue is not restricted to the market area, but almost all of the village is in dilated shape," Bilal said.

They rued the negligence despite being a prominent village located along the Wular Lake banks and urged the administration to look into the genuine grievances and resolve them on a priority basis.